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HERMAPHRO DEITY 

The Mystery of Divine Genius. 



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•• And she shall bring forth a Son. and thou shah call His nan 
Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins." 

— Mattheu. ii. 21 



C<27<9 
5?8 



HERMAPHRO-DEITY: 

€l?e 2ttusteru. of Dioine (genius. 



ELIZA BARTON LYMAN, 



.AUTHOR OF 



"The Coming Woman," "Familiar Talks on 
Unfamiliar Topics," etc. 



" This is the Mystery that to this day is hidden and kept secret." 

Diuine Pymander. 

" Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from 
generations, but now is made manifest to his saints; to whom God 
would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery 
among the Gentiles ; Which is Christ in You." Col. i. 26-27. 



Sacjmatp, ITCtcbigan : 

SAGINAW PRINTING AND PUBLISHING COMPANY. 
1900 



84259 



Library of Cun&?*** 

Two Co*cs Received 
DEC 5 1900 

Copyngttt «trj 

SECOND COPY 

0R0£fi DMSKW 

DEC 101900 



7f* 



<\<\ 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1900, by 

ELIZA BARTON LYMAN, 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, 

at Washington, D. C. 



PREFACE. 



Hermaphro- Deity is not the result of a desire to pre- 
sent something strange and startling to attract the atten- 
tion of a public always on the alert for something new 
and outre, but the outgrowth of a constantly deepening 
conviction of an approaching crisis in the spiritual experi- 
ence of the race. No claim is made for the discovery of 
anything new in either religion, philosophy, or science, 
but to have simply come into recognition of certain di- 
vinely established laws as old as the planet and the race. 

The object of this short treatise is to simplify those 
truths heretofore clothed in deepest mystery. There are 
a few works upon the subject, but the majority of them 
are so obscure as to be of little or no service to the general 
reader; whereas, the truths contained in them should be 
the property of every individual capable of understanding 
them. 

Whatever view the reader may take of the various 
philosophies herein laid down, however he may differ with 
regard to the practical application of the truths advanced; 
he certainly will be compelled to admit that there is some- 
thing radically wrong in the arrangement of human af- 
fairs, that appears to baffle the best effort toward adjust- 
ment and reformation. 



iv. Preface. 

We feel assured that in this simple work there will be 
found the law of healing promised the race from remote 
ages. It was the occult teaching of Jesus, and of all 
adepts in past ages. 

If asked for proofs of many of the statements made, 
we must needs remain silent — as was Christ before Pilate. 
We can no more explain how or where we obtained the 
knowledge of the truths advanced than could Galileo 
demonstrate to his religious persecutors how or where he 
obtained the knowledge that the earth was a globe and 
revolved around its center, the sun. What seemed at that 
period to be the vagaries of a diseased brain, are today 
the demonstrated facts of science, accepted by all the 
world. May it not be possible that in a few generations 
the new and strange teachings advanced in this brief work 
will become a demonstrated science, applicable to the 
deepest needs of human life? 

E. B. L. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 



"THE TRUTH IS, A GREAT MIND MUST BE 
ANDROGYNOUS." 

—COLERIDGE. 



NOTE. 



The quotations from the New Testament are all taken 
from the Emphatic Diaglott, a version from the original 
Greek text, by Wilson, giving in some portions quite a 
different rendition from the old, and more satisfactory. 



HERM APHRO - DEITY 

The Mystery of Divine Genius. 



CHAPTER I. 

"Girls, come here, please. Sit down; I wish 
to talk with you on an important matter." 

This call came from my brother John's room 
as we were passing his door on our way out to 
the porch. We girls, Annie, Angela and my- 
self, walked in submissively, and seated our- 
selves, as commanded. 

John wheeled his chair around facing us, and 
said, "Girls, I am tired of this sort of life. I 
believe there is something beyond the mere rais- 
ing of cabbage and potatoes. Not but what 
they are good in their proper place; but I have 
an idea that there are just now subjects and 
speculations attracting the attention of the think- 
ing world worth investigating, and on quite a 
different plane of thought. The fact is we get 



8 Hermaphro Deity ; 

just as hungry for ideas as we do for our daily 
bread. I have received a letter this morning from 
an old friend of mine living in Southern Cali- 
fornia, in a place called Benares, up in the moun- 
tains, where a peculiar Order of mystics have 
established a colony and a school where, he 
says, if he remembers rightly, are taught those 
philosophies toward which I have always had a 
leaning. What he tells me of the fraternity, 
and some of the tenets held by them, makes me 
anxious to investigate the matter. This friend 
of mine," continued John, "has united with the 
brotherhood. He has been with them some 
four years, and he thinks I would find in their 
teachings and practices in life just what I have 
been looking for all these years. It is not a 
community of men alone; there are as many 
women as men. August and Elsie can take 
care of this place for two or three months with- 
out trouble, so what do you girls say to our 
going and visiting those people." 

"Do you really mean that you wish us all to 
go?" asked Annie in astonishment. 

"Certainly. It will take all three of you girls 
to make one good, all-round woman." answered 
John, soberly looking down his nose. 

We looked at each other in amazement, more 
than in anger, at the audacity of the speech; 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 9 

it was our policy never to take notice of any 
of John's sly slurs on our incapacity and weak- 
ness, but to bide our opportunity for retaliation, 
which never failed to come. 

Now there was one peculiarity about John; 
whenever he made a statement or laid a plan we 
never thought of disputing or opposing him. 
So, saying that "we would consider the matter," 
we retired, and upon due consultation with An- 
gela, who was our oracle, we accept the invita- 
tion, for the prospects of a trip to California with 
such an escort as John caused us to swallow our 
offence for the time and consent to his arrange- 
ments. 

So the matter was settled with this under- 
standing, that we should take only hand bag- 
gage. "For," said John, "after we leave the 
Northern Pacific Railroad we have quite a little 
journey before we reach Benares. After we 
get up there you girls will have little oppor- 
tunity to display fine clothing, even if you felt 
so inclined." 

I must give the reader a slight sketch of the 
leading characteristics of the members of this 
proposed party, myself excepted; because we 
are not only to be thrown together in the most 
intimate relations, but to pass through experi- 
ences designed in some cases to change the 



10 Bermaphro- Deity : 

tenor of the whole life of the individual, and I 
expect my readers to be as deeply interested in 
this experience as I have been. 

We are orphans, John and myself. He has 
been my sole guardian for some years, and I had 
grown to think there was not another 
human being so perfect as he. At the close 
of my school life he had left a large city and 
lucrative position, settling on a farm just out- 
side the corporations of a small town, where, 
under the management of an efficient German 
and his wife, with myself installed as housekeep- 
er, there had been established not only a delight- 
ful home, but a thoroughly successful and pay- 
ing institution. We were in the habit of tak- 
ing a few boarders each summer. I heard John 
say to a neighbor, "These outsiders coming in 
will keep Elizabeth" — that is myself — "from 
being lonely." I had become very proud of 
my position as mistress of the establishment and 
fond of the country life. 

Annie had been a schoolmate of mine, a close 
companion. , We had closed our school term 
together, I to go to my brother's home, and she 
to enter upon an active literary life. She had 
occupied many responsible positions on the lead- 
ing periodicals of the day, and was now art cor- 
respondent of the finest monthly in the country. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 11 

She had spent two years abroad, had written 
one very successful drama, but what made her 
of the greatest attraction to me was the fact that 
she could tell in the most graphic manner any- 
thing she knew, and describe what she had seen 
in a way to make you see it too. She was a 
source of unspeakable delight to me, who had 
seen so little of the world. She had become as 
one of our family, coming each season as soon 
as the warm weather commenced, staying until 
autumn. 

Angela had spent three seasons with us, and 
I had grown very fond of her also. She was a 
quiet, studious woman of thirty years, or there- 
about. She was, as a rule, rather silent, but 
when she did speak she always said something. 
She was one whom you felt rather than saw. 
There was about her a power that seemed to 
penetrate your whole being, your mental, physi- 
cal and spiritual natures — that is, if one had any 
such. You somehow felt that she knew every- 
thing concerning you. You always wanted to 
call her mother, and if you had any vexations or 
troubles you wanted to go to her and tell her 
all about them, and lay your head on her should- 
er and have a good cry. You were always 
reaching out, if near her, to get hold of her 
hand. She spent the greater share of her time 




12 Hermaphro' Deity : 

in the study of curious books with the most un- 
pronounceable names, the contents of which ap- 
peared to me, from a casual glance, to be more 
vague and unattainable than the names even; 
but that was because I did not comprehend 
them, Angela had told me. She had traveled 
much in foreign lands and lived some years in 
India, which had a tendency to give her a de- 
sire for such style of literature. 

So much for the two women. It will not be 
so easy a matter for me to delineate John's char- 
acter. In the first place it is impossible for a 
woman to analyze the character of a man cor- 
rectly, not being of that genus — but the prin- 
ciple reason why I cannot describe John is that 
I do not understand him. He is a puzzle to 
me. I love him better than any other being on 
earth, without being able to understand him. 
But all women, both old and young, trust him 
— yes, and love him, too. They tell him all 
their secrets and troubles and go away from 
their interviews with him strengthened and com- 
forted apparently. And the men — why. there 
is a stream of them going to and fro from his 
"Den," as he calls his office, constantly, much 
to my disapproval. I have declared all the time 
that John was working himself to death for Tom. 
Dick and Harry, and I could see no good in it; 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 13 

such a loss of time, and I had discovered that it 
all brought him no money. But, to tell the 
truth, the man actually did not fail, from the 
life he led, but instead, to my astonishment, he 
grew handsomer and more grand looking every 
year; especially since his hair had commenced 
falling away, exposing that dome of his head 
where the phrenologists locate what they claim 
as intuition, veneration and benevolence. To 
us girls he is the dearest, most gentle and 
patient companion, when we need him in that 
capacity; and when we need the stronger side of 
his nature he is always ready and willing to use 
his strong hands, arms and head to help us out 
of any dilemmas in which we may find ourselves. 
One thing that annoys me greatly with him 
is, that he never has a word of censure or blame 
for anyone. He always has an excuse for 
everybody's shortcomings. Always has some 
good reason why things were thus and so. That 
always exasperates me. I believe that the people 
should be brought up standing for their delin- 
quencies; most wrongdoers need a good over- 
hauling to make them straighten up and behave 
themselves, and that is the reason why, I sup- 
pose, that the riff-raff never come to me any 
more for consolation and assistance, but, instead, 
all pile on John and Angela for council and aid. 



14 Hermaphro-Deity : 

I have often wondered why John has never 
married, for all the girls dote on him, but he is 
equally lovely to them all and seems just as fond 
of the old as he is of the young women. In 
short, John is a curious being; he is altogether 
lovely, but queer. 

'These are the last days in March and I would 
like to be in Benares by the first day of April, 
that will be on Wednesday of next week. In 
fact, I have written to my friend that I shall be 
there," John said at the breakfast table the next 
morning. ''There is to be an especially 
fine course of lessons given at the school, com- 
mencing on the second of April," John con- 
tinued, "and Bessie," turning to me, "I wish you 
would put me up a few traps, just as few as pos- 
sible, and let us be off." 

"That rascal is just taking us along to mend 
his socks and put his studs into his clean shirts," 
said Annie, maliciously, that night as we were 
preparing for bed. "But after all," she added, 
half to herself, "he is so very clever, and good 
to everybody, that one is more than willing to 
do just what he wants them to, the dear old 
darling!" 

As Angela had traveled throughout India 
with only hand baggage, Annie and I took les- 
sons from her and we soon were equipped for 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 15 

our journey, but minus "fixin's," as John 
calls them, and in due time were on our 
way, speeding toward the setting sun — toward 
that quarter of the globe that always had such 
an attraction for me. 



THE HOME OF THE MAHATMAS. 

Benares, Cal., April ist. 

John's friend, Frederick, met us at the junc- 
tion of the Northern Pacific Railroad and a 
branch road leading to the Home of the broth- 
erhood. Although the distance is only a few 
miles, the ascent is so great that it requires, 
usually, nearly an hour to reach the "city," as 
brother Frederick laughingly called the settle- 
ment, so that it was ten o'clock before we were 
inside the Home. 

It was too dark for us to form much of an 
idea of the place. I observed a grove of lofty 
trees to the right of the town, and behind it 
there loomed up a great mountain — at least it 
appeared like one in the darkness. Absolute 
silence reigned over all — there wasn't even a 
puff from the old engine that had labored so 



16 Hermaphro- Deity : 

hard to get us up the hill. At the entrance 
of the Home building there was an electric light, 
which gave a very impressive appearance to the 
structure. As we entered the great hall one of 
the Sisters, who had awaited our arrival, came 
forward smilingly, extending her hands, and 
bade us welcome to Benares. 

Brother Frederick took charge of John, con- 
ducting him to his apartments, while the Sister 
leading the way up the stairs ushered us into a 
large, airy chamber, with all the appointments 
for three occupants. 

I was not so tired but that I began a critical 
survey of things in general. In the arrange- 
ment of the room, everywhere, there was an evi- 
dence of woman's artistic eye and hand. The 
furnishings were of excellent quality, select- 
ed with a view to use as well as beauty, and all 
was immaculately clean. The floor attracted 
my attention most. It was hardwood, highly 
polished, of a rich color. The room was lighted 
with electricity. The air of the whole apart- 
ment was soothing in the extreme. 

Just here the Sister who had escorted us to 
our room came in with a tray of refreshments, 
and informed us that our breakfast would be 
served in our room in the morning, as we would 
no doubt feel too much fatigued to rise and 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 17 

breakfast with the family as early as they were 
in the habit of doing. "We are early risers up 
here," she said smilingly, "and after a time you 
will enjoy the morning breezes from the moun- 
tains as much as we do.' 1 Bidding us good-night 
she left us to ourselves. 

We soon dispatched our lunch and made our- 
selves ready for bed, as the delightful coolness 
and fragrance of the air made one inclined to 
sleep, even had we not been so fatigued from our 
journey. 

"There is something awfully shivery about 
this whole place," said Annie, "I can almost 
imagine that I have been suddenly transported 
to Jupiter or Mars — or some outlandish world 
— things feel strange and unreal somehow." 

"That is all in yourself, my dear, to me it is 
heavenly," said Angela, taking in a deep breath. 

I was too tired to make any comments and 
in a short time we were all safely stowed away 
in our delightful beds, and, owing to the fatigue 
and excitement of the past week, were soon 
sleeping soundly. A sleep from which I did 
not awaken until a rap at the door aroused me, 
and opening my eyes I beheld a perfect flood of 
sunshine filling the room, and Angela sitting at 
the open window all dressed and evidently study- 
ing the situation outside. Upon opening the 



18 Her map hro- Deity : 

door we found our attendant of the previous 
evening, who informed us that our breakfast 
would be ready in a few minutes. 

"I feel as though I had just been exhumed 
from the Pyramids of Egypt," yawned Annie, 
shaking herself and stretching. "I had curious 
dreams about this place last night," she contin- 
ued, as she completed her toilet. "I think it is 
owned and run by a set of fairies, as we see 
neither men, women or children about the prem- 
ises." 

"I have an evidence of a very different char- 
acter," said Angela, smiling. "I have been up 
at the window for more than two hours and have 
seen at least fifty stalwart men, coming in from 
the hay fields I concluded, as they all had rakes 
over their shoulders, broad brimmed hats on 
their heads and shoes on their feet. True they 
did not make any noise, but they wore trousers 
and had no wings." 

Our breakfast came at this point and present- 
ed a very decidedly human and familiar appear- 
ance. It consisted of a plentiful supply of de- 
liriously browned toast, butter, eggs, cream, 
milk, and a heaping dish of the finest, most 
luscious strawberries I had ever seen. 

Our sweet-voiced attendant informed us. as 
she was leaving the room after arranging our 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 19 

table, that she would be up about fifteen minutes 
before nine o'clock to conduct us to the chapel. 
This being the opening lesson, we would all be 
expected to be in our places on time. As Father 
Hyacinth is the teacher for this month no one 
can afford to lose one word. With that she 
closed the door and we were ! ft to ourselves 
to enjoy our most delicious meal. 

"How is this breakfast, Annie, has it the 
taste of the Pyramids and odor of Cheops?" 
Angela ventured, after watching for a time the 
greedy manner in which Annie stowed away the 
food. 

"Oh, this is all right! and earthly enough. 
But I do wonder what they have done with John. 
If ever a man would be of any use or comfort, it 
would be in a place like this, where one expects 
every instant to see a ghost glide in from some 
hole or corner and to be caught up and spirited 
away — the Lord only knows where." 

After this speech she replenished her dish with 
strawberries and fell to eating with a gusto most 
astonishing in one so overcome with fear. 

Angela smilingly said, "Do not allow your- 
self to be terrified, my dear, because whatever 
the power might be that spirited you away, it 
would return you as soon as it had had one en- 
counter with you." 




20 Hennaphro- Deity : 

Here the door opened and John stalked in 
looking like a Greek god. 

"This is interesting! Do you expect to con- 
tinue this line of business up here?" he said, af- 
fecting great disgust. "It is almost nine o'clock. 
I have been up for three hours looking over the 
place; I have been up the mountain a mile, at 
least, and back, while you girls have been snooz- 
ing in bed. This must be the last of these city 
airs. The men of this community have stacked 
over fifty tons of hay this morning, while the 
women have worked over and packed two hun- 
dred pounds of butter, taken care of the milk of 
one hundred and fifty cows, and baked a hun- 
dred loaves of bread, besides many delicacies 
that I cannot mention. They have also made 
twenty-five large cheeses. And such men and 
women! but you will see them presently." 

The Sister who had brought us our breakfast 
came in now to conduct us down to the chapel. 
We all followed our guide down the broad stair- 
wav, through the lono\ wide hall and into the 
chapel at the rear. 

YVe were seated so that we had a view of the 
entire room and the audience assembled: there 
were about three hundred and fifty persons in 
all, men, women and children, about equally di- 
vided as to sex, and seated separately. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 21 

At the end of the chapel was a pipe organ, in 
tront of which was a platform, speaker's desk 
and chair. At our right hung a life-sized paint- 
ing of Christ and the three Marys; at the left 
was a fine copy of Murillo's Immaculate Con- 
ception. On the easel at the side of the plat- 
form was an ideal head of a most beautiful 
woman, over which, in large letters, were the 
words, "The Mother/' A Sister was seated at 
the organ, and as she passed her fingers slowly 
over the keys, the rich, tremulous tones of the 
instrument quivered through the silent air, pro- 
ducing a feeling of devotion. 

I observed that the members of the household 
all sat motionless with bowed heads. I 
held my breath and listened. Presently the 
tones of the organ changed and all broke forth 
in low subdued tones singing the forty-eighth 
Psalm: "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be 
praised in the city of our God, in the mountain 
of His holiness." The voices taking the dif- 
ferent parts all blended in one harmonious wave 
of melody. I had never cared for hymn sing- 
ing, but the chanting of the psalm here was in- 
expressibly solemn and sweet to me. 

I had not been much of a church-goer or had 
any especial religious bias — I was in no sense 
religiously inclined — but there was something 



22 Hermaphro- Deity ; 

in the air of this room, the music, the people 
about me, that stirred deep in my nature a feel- 
ing that I had never experienced before. Had 
I been alone with Angela I should have laid 
my head on her breast and cried a little, but as 
it was I crept close to John and slipped my hand 
into his strong, warm one and felt reassured. 

As the music and singing ceased, I began 
studying the people about me. 

The first thing that attracted my attention 
was their dress. The men wore over their or- 
dinary suits a white linen garment made after 
the fashion of the surplices worn by the Catholic 
clergy. 

Their faces were clean shaven and the hair of 
the head shingled closely. The back of the 
head was covered with a black silk cap like 
those worn by Cardinals. 

There was a singular fascination about the 
group, not only on account of their strange 
costume, but because of a peculiar expression 
about the mouth and eyes. This unusual ap- 
pearance I understood later, as I came to know 
more of their habit of thought and life. 

I turned from the men and began studying 
the women. Here, as in the case of the men. 
their costume attracted my notice. It was uni- 
form in color, fabric and style of making. The 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 23 

material was of some soft, light-gray fabric, of 
wool I should say, that fell in graceful folds 
from top to bottom, after the fashion of the an- 
cient Greek female costume. There was the 
long open sleeve ornamented with the Greek 
pattern in braiding. The costume of the child- 
ren corresponding. Taking it all together, I 
had never imagined anything so perfectly ar- 
tistic and beautiful. 

The hair also was uniformly dressed. It was 
combed back from the forehead and twisted up 
in a loose knot on the top of the head. 'In some 
cases it was as white as snow, in others golden, 
brown, or black, according to age or tempera- 
ment. 

There was also an unusual expression on the 
faces of these women, and a kind of peachy tint 
to the skin that would indicate health and an 
acquaintance with outdoor life. 

At this moment my attention w T as arrested by 
the opening of a door at the end of the chapel 
and the entrance of a man — Father Hyacinth, 
John informed me — who walked across the room, 
stepped upon the platform and seated himself, 
without raising his eyes. I could not take my 
eyes from him, so remarkable was he in appear- 
ance and bearing. 

I had never seen but one man whom -he re- 



24 



Her maphro- Deity , 



sembled, that was Phillips Brooks, dur- 
ing the last years of his ministry, when he had 
grown so ripe and rich in spiritual grace. This 
man possessed the same massiveness and silent 
power and was about the age of Brooks at the 
time of his death. 

He was habited the same as the other male 
members, and there appeared to be a sort of 
glory enveloping him that gave one the feeling 
that to merely touch the hem of his garments 
would give them new life. When he spoke the 
charm was complete. His voice was low-keyed, 
mellow and sympathetic as he unfolded his sub- 
ject. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 25 



'Thought in the Mind hath made us. What we are 

By thought was wrought and built. If a man's mind 
Hath evil thoughts, pain comes on him as comes 
The wheel the ox behind. 

"All that we are is what we thought and willed; 

Our thoughts shape us and frame. If one endure 
In purity of thought, joy follows him 
As his own shadow — sure.''" 

— Edwin Arnold. 



"Each individual attracts to himself from others that 
which he metes out to others. This law of individual 
compensation is regulated by individual thought, and in 
such a manner that absolute justice is the portion of each." 

— Fragments of the Philosophy. 



"He who has succeeded in bringing his individual 
Mind in exact harmony with the Universal Mind, has 
succeeded in reuniting the inner sphere with the outer 
one, from which he has only become separated by mis- 
taking illusions for truths." 

— Paracelsus. 



26 Hermaphro- Deity 



FIRST LESSON. 

THE DIVINE MIND IN MAN. 

I have to make this morning some very im- 
portant statements as a foundation upon which 
to base the theories advanced in the forthcoming 
lessons. Not only should they form the 
foundation, but they should be a guide with 
which to square all religions, philosophies, 
sciences or theories that may present themselves 
to the student during life. I shall endeavor to 
employ only such terms as we are most familiar 
with. It requires but few words to clothe these 
stupendous truths, which should stand out 
naked, in their colossal proportions, before the 
mind of the student, a study full of veneration, 
as the Alps to the Swiss peasant is a source of 
worship and strength. 

This then is our chief corner-stone: 

GOD IS THE ONLY LIFE; 
SPIRIT IS THE ONLY SUBSTANCE: 
MIND IS THE ONLY CREATOR: and 
LOVE THE ONLY LAW. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 27 

Mind manifests itself through Thought, 
which externalizes and individualizes the cre- 
ations of Mind, whatever they may be. They 
may not be visible to us, but they are real. 

Thoughts become absolute things, and hav- 
ing once been formed and sent out, live on and 
on indefinitely. They fill certain belts of the 
unseen, they pass and re-pass, jostling together, 
and a certain class on the lower animal plane 
war upon each other, giving rise to much mental 
suffering in the cases of persons of extremely 
nervous and psychic temperaments. Some- 
where, somebody sang, 

"Thoughts are things, 
Having being, breath and wings." 

Father Ryan has expressed it better than I 
can. 

"They wear holy veils on their faces; 
Their footsteps can scarcely be heard; 
They pass through the valley, like virgins, 
Too pure for the touch of a word." 

In the spiritual darkness of the present, there 
has developed in the mind of the race a belief in- 
a power outside of God, and more potent, which 
man has named Evil ; also a belief in a sub- 
stance, other than Spirit, which he calls Mat- 
ter. Both formulas are erroneous and the out- 



28 Hermaphro- Deity : 

growth of misunderstanding, and can be dissi- 
pated, with all their evil effects, as he becomes 
familiar with and lives up to the foundation prin- 
ciples herein laid down. 

Man, as man, cannot continue to exist with- 
out a religion; it must form the basis of his 
character. He must recognize a Supreme 
Power. He must worship — or GO OUT! 

When I say religion, I do not refer to forms 
or ceremonies or external rites, but religion in 
its truest sense, in the perfect form which our 
Master laid down in His Sermon on the Mount. 

We are endeavoring in this brotherhood to de- 
monstrate the fact that the religion of Christ can 
be made the guiding principle in every-day life. 
Not religion consisting alone of a worship of 
the Supreme Being, but one embracing also the 
highest grades of ethics — that commands us to 
love our enemies, to do good to those who hate 
us, to give, expecting nothing in return, to deal 
justly, to judge not, to condemn not, and to for- 
give as we would be forgiven. The experience 
of half a century in this colony has proven that 
Christ's religion is a safe guide to go by. 

According to sacred historians the commence- 
ment of all the disasters that have befallen the 
race and planet was the evolution in Man of an 
independent mind and will; outside of, and in 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 29 

opposition to, the Creative Mind. He went 
into business on his own responsibility and with- 
out capital. His self-constituted outside mind 
was not composed of the true Substance — the 
divine mental atoms. It is a counterfeit, and 
all that it sees, feels or imagines is false. 

This mind belongs exclusively to the animal 
man. It has no knowledge of or attraction to- 
ward the divine; the thoughts generated and 
sent out by it never rise higher than the fleshly 
demands. These form a dense and murky men- 
tal atmosphere near the earth, powerful enough 
to hypnotize the entire race, producing what we 
know as race belief, so that on many points all 
men are of one mind and thought. 

The average individual thinks and believes 
along certain lines just as the world does, and 
feels uncomfortable at the suggestion of any 
new thought; feels oppressed at any mental agi- 
tation above the average strata. To talk to 
one thus fettered of a higher and more healthy 
region of thought, of unexplored kingdoms in 
the invisible, is to speak to him in an unknown 
tongue; he does not concern himself about the 
invisible, in fact does not believe in anything 
that cannot be recognized through his five 
senses. Such, in fact, never think, they simply 
believe what the strongest party believes. 



30 Hermaphro- Deity : 

This fleshly mind is that disobedient, faithless, 
selfish, Godless mind now controlling the world. 
It governs all business transactions, marriages, 
family relations and general society. It loves 
after its own fashion what belongs to it. and 
often deals generously with its own, because it 
is giving to itself, gratifying its "myness." 
'These are my children, tliis is my home, this is 
my wife." rarely taking thought of the thous- 
ands who are homeless, breadless, dying in want. 
It gives in charity where it brings the applause 
of the world, which is the only god it can com- 
prehend. In this mind exists all passions, 
prejudices, crimes, cruelty, greed, hatred, licen- 
tiousness and murder. Here also exists the 
sense life, the belief in pain, disease and death. 

St. Paul says of this mind, "For to be carnally 
minded is death. Because the carnal mind is 
enmity against God; for it is not subject to the 
law of God, neither indeed can be." "To be 
carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually 
minded is life and peace." Paul's spiritual 
mind is the divine Mind, and if it be permitted 
the ascend ncy it will control all things. It is 
that power in man that makes him a son of God. 
It was this Mind in Christ that performed all 
miracles and works of magic; turned water into 
wine, multiplied the loaves and fishes, stilled 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 31 

the tempest, healed the sick, cleansed the leper, 
and raised the dead. That was the "higher 
magic." 

Man to fulfill his destiny must become master 
of that magic, must control his thoughts, must 
not only be capable of protecting himself from 
the baleful effects of the evil thoughts of those 
on the animal plane, but must possess a com- 
manding influence over the baser elements in 
the mental atmosphere about him. That is, he 
must control the masses and mould their 
thoughts for good. He can do it, in a degree, 
if he is governed by his divine Mind, for that is 
the Power which commands all things. It said, 
"Let there be light." 

Some years since, I was present at an anti- 
slavery meeting in a large eastern city where 
the most powerful man of his time was to speak. 
An immense crowd had assembled, composed 
of every conceivable order of mind; a large 
portion of which held the most antagonistic 
views regarding the anti-slavery cause, as well as 
a bitter hatred toward the speaker. It was a 
mental atmosphere largely on the animal plane. 
It was like a huge powder magazine requiring 
but a spark to bring an explosion. 

The speaker arose, stepped forward, and laid 
his hand upon the desk, stood silent and motion- 



32 Hermaphro- Deity ; 

less for a moment expressing a majesty that he 
alone of all the men of the day possessed. He 
commenced speaking, rather slowly at first, as 
was his custom, making not the slightest ges- 
ture. Presently he began to pour forth elo- 
quent words, once heard never forgotten, kind- 
ling in the breasts of the devoted lovers of justice 
and freedom a fire that never smouldered or died 
out. 

The low brutal thought element began to 
vibrate and seethe with suppressed rage and ex- 
citement; then to lash; then the storm burst! 
Hisses, howls and execrations were poured out 
against the cause and the speaker. The tumult 
was for the time deafening. 

To one unaccustomed to gatherings of that 
nature a riot appeared imminent. I looked 
over the audience to see if there were any move- 
ments toward quelling the disturbance, but no 
one moved in that direction. Then I looked 
toward the speaker. 

He had not even stirred, but stood perfectly 
motionless, with that firm right hand still rest- 
ing on the desk where he had first laid it. He 
stood like a god and faced that belligerent ele- 
ment, with a countenance unrufTled and calm 
and a certain masterful expression that was- in- 
describable. The fury began to subside, order 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 33 

was restored, and the house became quiet with- 
out a word of protest from any quarter. 

The speaker took up his subject just where 
he had left off, without a comment or change 
of voice or countenance, and continued holding 
the attention of the entire audience with ever- 
deeping interest and without a dissenting voice 
to the close. He was master of that higher 
magic. He said to that turbulent sea of brutal 
thought, Peace, be still. And it obeyed him; 
just as the storm on the Sea of Galilee two thous- 
and years ago obeyed the commands of the 
Master Magician. 

What was true of those commanding minds 
is equally true of all who are controlled by their 
divine Mind and will. 

We must not forget that there are many strat- 
as of thought. All thought originating in the 
minds of men influences in a silent way the minds 
of all other men that come in contact with them. 
All books, although unread, influence the 
mind of the race for good or evil, according to 
the nature of the thoughts embodied in them. 
Thoughts of hatred, animal passions, jealousy 
or anger, although not expressed, arouse kind- 
red thoughts in others on the same plane; so 
that what was merely the thought of crime in 
one may come into expression through another, 



34 Hermaphro- Deity : 

who yet would never have thought of the wrong. 
Crimes of all descriptions are contagious. 
They are in the air as much so as diseases. On 
the other hand so likewise are good thoughts, 
kindness, love and mercy. They are on a high- 
er plane, but we can have them if we reach high 
enough. Thoughts rise according to their 
specific gravity. 

To think of the divine source of love, is to 
send the thoughts to the center of all Good. 
That in the highest sense is prayer. The men- 
tal atoms have been to the bosom of the Infinite, 
and return laden with divine love strong to heal 
and bless. To strongly desire the well-being 
of another is to pray for that one. 

Prayer does not consist in many and eloquent 
words. All elevated and unselfish thoughts are 
prayers. The high and pure aspirations of all 
lovers of the race have formed a mental zone 
above the atmosphere created by the carnal or 
fleshly mind. In this elevated belt of thought 
is stored the wisdom of every grand soul that 
has ever inhabited our planet. Nothing is ever 
lost, nor is there anything new. 

We, if we desire, can have access to this 
mighty storehouse where all the wisdom of the 
past and future awaits our demands. We have 
onlv to come to the consciousness of the Su- 




The Mystery of Divine Genius. 35 

preme Mind within us to. become possessors of 
the vast riches in store for the seeker after truth. 

The wise Egyptian, Balthazar, was doubtless 
very familiar with this elevated region of 
thought. He says, "There is a kingdom on the 
earth, though not of it; a kingdom wider than 
the bounds of the earth, though they were roll- 
ed together as finest gold and spread by the 
beating of hammers. Its existence is a fact, 
as our hearts are facts, and we journey through 
it from birth to death without seeing it; nor 
shall any man see it till he hath first known !iis 
own soul; for this kingdom is not for him, but 
for his soul. And in its dominions there is 
glory such as hath not entered into imagination 
— original, incomparable, impossible of increase. 
Nor shall any man see it till he hath first known 
his own soul." This soul of man is his divine 
Mind. He is to enlarge it. He is to earn his 
divinity. He is to accumulate all the wisdom 
of the ages in order that he also may become 
one among the hosts of Gods who fashion the 
objective universe. 

Mankind has for the time lost his localization 
with the Supreme central Mind. That is why 
we need religious education now especially. 



36 



Hermaphro- Deity 



"Let him that is endued with Mind, know himself to 
be immortal; and that the cause of death is the love of 
the body. 

"But as many souls of men, as do not admit or en- 
tertain the Mind for their Governor, do suffer the same 
thing that the soul of unreasonable living things. 

"And as brute beasts, they are angry without reason, 
and they desire without reason, and never cease, nor are 
satisfied with Evil. 

"Therefore hath God set the Mind over these, as a 
Revenger and Reprover of them." 



•Hermes in "Divine Pymander. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 37 

Father Hyacinth smilingly took his departure, 
and Brother Frederick stepped forward, intro- 
duced the new members of the class to those 
of the brotherhood present. One splendid- 
looking man, whom I afterward learned to know 
as Brother Paul, rose from among the group and 
welcomed us to the "Home" and the fellowship 
with the "Brothers" and "Sisters" of the Mystic 
Circle. The entire group arose and smilingly 
bowed to us; then dispersed in various direc- 
tions. 

To one Sister was assigned the duty of enter- 
taining our party until the dinner hour. To 
our family group were added ten new members, 
men and women from various portions of the 
country, beside a scientist from Germany, who 
had a most singular way of studying people 
through his glasses, causing them to feel that 
he was analyzing the component parts of their 
etheric substance or some such thing. 

As we passed out of the house, he dropped 
back to my side and said that he had just come 
from a visit to Tesla's laboratory, — wherever 
that may be, I did not inquire, I was too busy in 
taking in my new and novel surroundings to 
care to talk upon science. I gradually made 
my way toward the front of the group, near the 
Sister, to hear her explanations of the colony, a 



38 Hermaphro Deity : 

subject of greater interest to me just then than 
anything else. 

One could well imagine oneself in a town, so 
numerous were the buildings, and grouped with 
such system and order, with regular streets, elec- 
tricity, water supplies, and telephones. All this, 
remember, is located up on a mountain side; it 
was literally "a city set upon a hill." It stood 
in the midst of a grove of the grandest trees that 
I have ever seen. The Home was of great size 
and massiveness, something after the style of the 
old English castles. The buildings for animals, 
the storing of farm produce, the packing of 
fruits, manufacturing purposes, electricity, etc., 
were of the same architectural design and finish. 
The entire town was built of the native stone, 
of a soft light-gray color, with a fine grain and 
very durable. 

The Sister who escorted us over the place, in- 
formed us that there were five thousand acres 
in the plantation. That there were three hun- 
dred acres devoted to orange groves, now in full 
bearing; three hundred to cherries, five hundred 
and fifty to grapes, fifty to strawberries, and five 
hundred to plums and peaches, and about twen- 
ty-five to garden produce fcr the family, includ- 
ing one hundred acres to black and red rasp- 
berries. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 39 

This Sister also said, with a show of pride, 
that they milked one hundred and fifty cows, all 
of the choicest Jersey breed, and that their but- 
ter brought the highest market price; that they 
had twenty-five horses on the place, with the 
necessary equipments; that their system of ir- 
rigation was the most perfect in the State, and 
that they had just completed arrangements for 
the manufacturing of ice, which would enable 
them to make a perfect success of their cream- 
ery, as well as the storing of fruit. 

''Our buildings are all lighted by electricity, 
as you see," our guide continued, "and the most 
interesting part of the whole matter is," here 
her face lighted up, "that the planning and the 
entire work has been accomplished by members 
of the brotherhood. We have in our family 
four as fine artists as there are in the w r orld, who 
were very celebrated before they came to us. 
There are two painters, one sculptor and one ar- 
chitect — three men and one woman. The 
woman is our finest painter. She has done all 
the large paintings for the Home; those pieces 
in the chapel were hers. The painting of the 
walls and other decorations were the work of 
Brothers Andrew and James, so that through 
the finished skill of the Brothers and Sisters we 
have in our Home not only solid comfort, but 




40 Her maphro- Deity : 

real artistic finish." Here she smiled, showing 
two dimples and a mouth full of perfect teeth. 

''What number have you in your fraternity?" 
asked Angela. 

'There are five hundred life members, taking 
old and young," replied the Sister. "They are 
not all in the Home at this present time. A 
number of the more gifted and experienced are 
out in the world, teaching in different portions 
or the country. It is not known that they are 
connected with this community. There is never 
any proselyting done by the members of the 
brotherhood, as only such can unite with us as 
are prepared to live the strict life of self-sacrifice 
and seclusion." 

"Where are all the children?" inquired a Bos- 
ton man, who had been deeply absorbed in all 
that had been said. 

"Well, at the present time we have no very 
young children," answered the Sister. "The 
youngest ones, from ten to fifteen, have grown 
up in the colony — they came in quite young; 
some of them were babies. But we shall soon 
have more children, as there are several families 
coming who have quite young members." 

"You said that families came into this asso- 
ciation, husbands and their wives; are there no 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 41 

children born in the Home?" I ventured to 
ask. 

"No, there are no children born here; you 
will understand that celibacy is the foundation 
tenet in our creed," replied the Sister. 

"Then, how do you expect to increase in num- 
ber and become permanent?" I persisted. 

"Oh, by voluntary contribution from the outer 
world," smilingly answered our guide. 

"Will not this community, like many others 
of a similar character, be likely to disorganize 
and disband in time?" asked a young man, who 
had the air of a divinity student. 

"We think not," replied the Sister. "Our fra- 
ternity started with less than a half dozen fami- 
lies, over fifty years ago. It has steadily in- 
creased in numbers and prosperity. In all of 
their experience there have been but five life 
members who have withdrawn because they 
could not adapt their lives to that of the com- 
munity." 

Here we were startled by the ringing of a 
loud but sweet-toned bell hanging in the tower 
of Home building. 

"That is the signal for dinner," said our 
charming escort, turning and smiling upon her 
eager, enthusiastic company. "Come up this 
way," she continued, as she, with her elastic 




42 Herrnaphro- Deity : 

step and graceful robe, preceded us up the broad 
steps to the main entrance of the Home. 

On the porch we halted to look down over the 
valley — over thousands of acres of rich and high- 
ly cultivated land; over orange groves: over 
orchards of plum, peach and cherry trees; over 
fields of grapes and strawberries: and, over and 
above all, such sunshine as can be seen nowhere 
else under heaven. As we narrowed our vision, 
and brought it up to the lawn in front of the 
Home, we were greeted by a sight that must 
delight all lovers of flowers. Such a wealth of 
roses as no one could imagine unless he had been 
in this country and witnessed for himself the 
manner in which nature arrays herself in this 
her bridal season. 

Annie came to me in great excitement, shock- 
ed that Brother Paul should have introduced 
her to two full-blooded Africans. I studied the 
two men as we passed on. They were 
black as ebony, but each had the bearing of a 
king, and the white surplices, and the dignity 
with which they bore themselves, made them a 
most conspicuous and attractive study. They 
were given the honor of showing us to our seats 
at the table, which they did with such grace and 
dignity that even Annie was filled with admir- 
ation; she, leaning over to me. whispered. "Well, 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 43 

I never could believe that a darkey could be so 
splendid looking. It is just because they are 
up here." I observed that a peculiar deference 
was shown these men, the cause of which I learn- 
ed later. 

On our way to the dining room I took a hasty 
survey of the interior of the building on the first 
floor. I noticed that the floors were all of hard 
wood, and highly polished, with here and there 
handsome rugs. The walls were of a golden 
tint, without paper or figures of any kind, but 
hanging upon them were many elegant paint- 
ings and choice steel engravings. Wherever the 
eye rested there were evidences of refinement; 
in the rich furniture, rare works of art, and bits 
of choice sculpture. Many of the families, the 
Sister had told us, had not only brought their 
wealth to the colony, but had also brought many 
of the rare things that had adorned their homes 
in other countries. 

As we entered the dining room I was aston- 
ished at not only the size, but its curious shape. 
It was semi-circular in form, and supplied with 
large windows which flooded the room with 
light. 

In this room were a large number of tables, 
at each of which could be seated twenty per- 
sons. Thev were made of some dark wood, 




44 Hermaphro- Deity : 

mahogany I should judge, and polished until 
they shone like mirrors. The chairs were also 
of some dark wood. There were no cloths, but 
here and there upon the tables pretty doilies for 
the large dishes. In the center of each table 
was a flat oval dish, in which was a beautiful 
variety of growing fern, a native of the moun- 
tains here. 

Although everything was on so large a scale, 
yet there was an air of delicacy and refinement 
extremely pleasing. The china, glass and sil- 
ver, though not of an expensive kind, had evi- 
dently been selected with a view to artistic effect. 
There was a perfect uniformity in the arrange- 
ments. The tables were all laid with care and 
everything was immaculately clean. 

The fruit dishes were heaped with strawber- 
ries, oranges and bananas; and scattered about 
the tables in profusion were glass pitchers filled 
with rich yellow cream and milk, with a gener- 
ous supply of sugar at hand. No meats were 
served; but there were eggs in great abundance, 
prepared in various ways, with a variety of de- 
licious vegetables cooked in the most appetiz- 
ing manner, butter and cream entering largely 
into their preparation. And the bread and but- 
ter — well, Annie said that it was "meat fit for 
the gods," whoever they might be. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 45 

In the serving of this meal there were no at- 
tendants; nobody entered or left the room dur- 
ing the. time. No one arose from the tables. 
At each table a Brother cut the bread on a large 
carved wooden platter. Everyone assisted in 
the serving, and yet there was no confusion or 
noise. The Sisters served the fruit. 

The whole arrangement of that room, the lay- 
ing of the tables, the nature and delicacy of the 
food, the manner of serving, the general air of 
good breeding that prevai4ed, the courtesy dis- 
played by one to another, is a picture indelibly 
impressed upon my mind as one of the most 
perfect things in all my experience. I had al- 
ways had an aversion to eating with a crowd. 
Any noise or uncouth manners at table were 
sufficient to destroy all desire for food that I 
may have had. But Lord Chesterfield himself 
could have found no fault with the table man- 
ners of these people. There was no moving of 
the feet or chairs. 

One thing impressed me greatly, and that was 
their peculiar, low, deliberate manner of speak- 
ing, together with a certain musical quality of 
voice most pleasing. I had noticed this peculi- 
arity in Angela's manner of speech. It was so 
marked in her case, that, in traveling or in 
crowds, when she would speak strangers would 



46 Hermaphro- Deity : 

turn and look at her. And now, in compari- 
son with those about us, Annie's voice and mine 
appeared to be strung up on a metallic key that 
grated terribly. I had never noticed it before, 
although John had told us that we talked too 
loud. 

These people ate as deliberately as they talked; 
they exhibited no haste in anything. They dis- 
played an air of cheerfulness and an ease of man- 
ner surprising to me when I remembered' that 
the Sister had told us that many members of the 
community had not been ofT the plantation in 
fifteen years. 

Father Hyacinth was the principal speaker at 
dinner. He had just returned from an extend- 
ed trip through the various fruit-growing re- 
gions, and his talk was upon the different meth- 
ods of crating, storing and shipping fruit. This 
subject appeared to interest the entire company. 
Then, too, the speaker had such a charming 
manner of relating his experience with the people 
in the various localities which he had visited. 
One could well imagine himself at some great 
banquet, so leisurely and comfortably was the 
whole affair conducted. 

The serving and the partaking of that meal 
gave me an insight into the character of the 
people that nothing but time and a close rela- 




The Mystery of Divine Genius. 47 

tionship in other ways could have done. As 
passed this meal, so passed all others during our 
stay of many months with this most remarkable 
and fascinating band of recluses. 

I found that they did not believe in making 
slaves of themselves, there being no incentive to 
individuals to amass wealth, as every man and 
woman had secured to them, not only a delight- 
ful home, guarantee of care and attention in case 
of sickness and in old age; but a certain annuity 
from the Corporation, which John informed me 
was on as strict a basis as the United States Gov- 
ernment. 

As time passed, I discovered that the mem- 
bers never labored to exceed six hours a day, 
and that only during the season of gathering, 
storing and shipping fruit; at all other times 
four or five hours were the rule. Everything 
is done to make the home life attractive and de- 
lightful, and their efforts have been successful. 

This community is a world within itself. 
Their landed possessions were full of resources, 
which this ingenious people have developed to 
an astonishing perfection. 

Through Annie's skill in shorthand I am en- 
abled to give a tolerable digest of the strange 
and wonderful doctrines taught and believed, 
yes, and lived up to, by this singular school of 
Mystics. 



48 Herrnaphro- Deity : 



CHAPTER II. 

Benares, California, April 15th. 

This morning the new members of the class, 
twelve in number, breakfasted with the family, 
and were ready at half past six to start on a tour 
of inspection and study of this most wonderful 
country and community. 

We have been here over a week, and yet have 
investigated but a small portion of this immense 
enterprise. One or two 'of the Brothers or 
Sisters usually accompany the party in their 
rounds as a matter of courtesy, as well as to give 
information. Pleasant, high-toned manners are 
displayed by this people at all times and under 
all circumstances. A Brother never meets one 
without lifting his hat, or a Sister without a bow 
and a smile. This show of deference and re- 
spect is manifested toward the least in import- 
ance in the colony. I discovered early that un- 
usual deference was always shown those of alien 
blood, the African and Japanese members. 

We had learned that there were two excur- 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 49 

sions to this resort each month, commencing in 
April and continuing until July. They came 
from the various towns along the line of the 
Northern Pacific Railroad, occasionally one 
from San Francisco. 

The Brother, a Japanese, who was our escort 
this morning informed us that today was the 
date for the San Francisco excursion, which 
would reach the plantation at twelve o'clock. 
He said that refreshments would be served as 
soon as the guests arrived, that the tables would 
be laid on the lawn under the trees. I now ob- 
served that several of the Brothers were engaged 
in unloading folding chairs and tables from a 
large furniture van. 

'We were informed that Brothers Paul and 
Frederick had the management of these enter- 
prises. That the excursionists often numbered 
two and three hundred, and that the sales of 
fruit, honey, cheese, butter, eggs, etc., were at 
times enormous. 

The refreshments were gratuitous, and the 
ride to and from the station free also. Our 
guide said, laughingly, "When those city people 
get up here, and take in this mountain air, they 
get so hungry that it sometimes looks doubtful 
about our finding enough food on the planta- 
tion to feed them; but our band plays during 



50 Her maphro- Deity : 

the meal, and the music somehow seems to 
satisfy them. We always give them our choicest 
music, and you know what that is," he said, 
turning to a professor of music from Berlin. 

We had discovered that among the members 
of the colony there were musicians of a very su- 
perior order, both in the line of vocal and in- 
strumental music. To make the most and best 
of every faculty for good is the leading prin- 
ciple of this peculiar people, so that those dis- 
playing talents of any order were encouraged 
to cultivate them, the best teachers and facilities 
being employed to this end. 

There was an orchestra composed of eight of 
the Sisters, who played upon stringed instru- 
ments, and who gave one of the most perfect en- 
tertainments to which I have ever listened. 
Brother Rameses being their leader and insrtuct- 
or. There was also a well organized military 
band that, for an hour each evening, out on the 
lawn, discoursed the choicest music of the great 
composers, from Chopin down. 

The attraction for me in all their music was 
the performance of their principal violinist, 
Brother Rameses, an Austrian by birth. He 
was of massive proportions and com- 
manding presence — more like Wilhelmj than 
any one else I had ever seen. There was a 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 51 

silent power about the man that appeared to ele- 
vate those that looked at him, and as he slowly 
and gracefully drew the bow over the strings of 
his instrument, one could not help feeling a re- 
gret that all the world could not listen to his in- 
spiring and elevating music. 

The professor from Berlin, who was up here 
in the mountains for his health, pronounced the 
entire musical department of the colony as per- 
fect in every detail. 

I learned that the violinist was on the pro- 
gram for the day. This concert usually oc- 
cupied not more than an hour, so that the visi- 
tors could have time to investigate the working 
of the institution. 

As this was the morning for the lesson, when 
the great clock struck the quarter to nine we all 
turned our steps toward the Home. One of 
the new students, a man from Boston, walking 
along by my side, said, "Is there anywhere on 
earth another such a spot or such a people? It 
is all so new and strange to me, yes, and per- 
fect, that I want to stay here the remainder of 
my life." 

I looked up into his frank, smiling counte- 
nance and noted the faint glow of health that 
had been from day to day slowly deepening on 
his cheeks, and said, "You are less excitable and 



52 Hermaphro- Deity : 

much more harmonious than when you first 
came. I think you may be trusted to stay," I 
added with gravity. 

"Well, then, allow me the privilege of sitting 
next to you in the class this morning," he said 
smilingly, as we entered the chapel. 

We took our seats, and after our long walk in 
the exhilarating mountain air the holy quiet of 
this room appeared to fall like a benediction on 
all. 

John, who was always seated at my right, 
came in with Annie, and, taking his accustomed 
place beside me. said, in a low voice, "I wish 
you to give your undivided attention to the sub- 
ject of the lesson this morning, it is of import- 
ance to all. There are certain truths which you 
need to understand." 

"I will," I replied, looking into his grand face 
and wondering why they did not make them all 
like John. Then I closed my eyes, and listen- 
ing to the music and singing wandered in 
thought away back to those remote ages when 
men were supposed to have been angelic beings, 
and I wondered if they were really any better 
than some of the human family I knew at the 
present time. 

Presently I was aroused from my reverie by 
the voice of Father Hvacinth announcing the 



The Mystery of 'Divine Genius. 53 

subjcet of the morning's lesson, that old and 
hackneyed story of the Creation of Man and our 
Planet. 

The Boston man leaned over, and whisper- 
ing to me, said, "I want you to watch me, and 
pinch me or stick pins in me, for I shall go to 
sleep; I have heard all I care to about the cre- 
ation business, and unless your preacher can 
trump up something new in this line I would 
rather pick oranges." . 

"You mean that you would rather eat them," 
I snapped out, drawing myself away from his 
side unable to conceal my disgust at his levity. 

At this point Father Hyacinth commenced 
his lesson and I forgot my irritation and impa- 
tience in the fascination of the speaker and the 
subject. 



54 Hermaphro-De&y . 



"Every man is appointed by God to know and to 

contemplate." 

— Pythagoras. 



"There is no other true religion than to meditate on 
the universe and give thanks to the Creator. * * * * 
How happily constituted and near to the Gods is human- 
ity! In joining himself to the divine, man disdains that 
which he has in him of the earthly; he connects himself 
by a bond of love to all other beings, and thereby feels 
himself necessary to the universal order. He contem- 
plates heaven; and in this happy middle sphere, in which 
he is placed, he loves all that is below him; he is beloved 
by all that is above." 

— Hermes. 



''Let us realize it again and again — man is the lord of 
all that exists; his crown of thorns is his crown of 
glory. That which elevates man above all other beings 
is his capacity for suffering, and the consequent power of 
asking for its extinction absolutely and forever." 

— Mohini M. Chatterji. 



The Mysteiy of Divine Genius. 



SECOND LESSON. 

THE CREATION OF MAN AND OUR 
PLANET. 

The study of the creation of the race and the 
planetary system is not as a rule considered of 
much importance to the average individual. It 
is so remote from anything on the plane of his 
daily life, that it appears of trifling value in com- 
parison to the present existence. Very few 
can see any relation between the celestial Man 
and the man of today, in fact scarcely believe 
there ever was a celestial Man, and planet to 
match — indeed rarely think anything concern- 
ing the matter. Were it not a fixed fact in the 
philosophy of life that the Thought of the race 
not only moulds the character and nature of the 
race, but also the planet down to its lowest king- 
dom, we would not have the courage to bring 
forward so unsavory a topic. 

The animal or natural man, as he exists today, 
has little or no capacity to comprehend the 
character of the divine Being or Power or celes- 
tial Hierarchy which he has been taught to call 



56 Hermapkro Deity ; 

Gocl. There is, however, deep in the higher 
nature of humanity, a dim sense of a Supreme 
Power; and in the history of the world it has 
been only those who have followed that instinct 
that have reached any degree of satisfaction in 
their labors of life. 

Now as a crowning statement in our proposi- 
tion we declare that the real Man is an offspring 
of the divine Central Mind and possesses in em- 
bryo all of the potentialities oi the divine Parent. 
He is not merely a demonstration of. but the 
demonstrator of the Central Intelligence, and 
one with the celestial hosts of Gods whose mis- 
sion it is to develop the ideas and plans of the 
Central Architect or Mind. *T have said. Ye are 
Gods, and all of you children of the Most High,'' 
said the mystic David. 

That wise Egyptian, Hermes, who lived, 
thought and wrote centuries before David's 
time, who like Paul was conveyed away into 
Paradise and heard, " Things spoken which is 
not possible for man to relate," says. "Man is a 
divine living thing, and is not to be compared 
to any brute beast that lives upon earth, but to 
them that are above in heaven, that are called 
Gods. "Wherefore we must be bold to say. 
That an earthly man. is a mortal God: and that 
the heavenly God, is an immortal Man." 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 57 

It will be difficult for those seeing only the 
degraded side of human nature to accept the 
statement of man's divinity. I am aware there 
is a crookedness manifested that does not har- 
monize with the theory of the race having been 
created in the likeness of God. But I take the 
position that this forbidding outside aspect is 
only temporary. Man in his central life is still 
divine. He cannot help himself. Because God 
exists, and is eternal, Man must exist eternally. 
God being the infinite, the divine Central Life, 
could create nothing unlike himself and there is 
but the one Substance from which all things are 
made. 

"Thus saith the Lord, the holy one of Israel, 
Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, 
and concerning the work of my hands — I have 
made the earth and created Man upon it; I, even 
my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and 
all their hosts have I commanded." 

''And God said, Let us make man in our 
image, after our likeness; and let them have do- 
minion." According to this statement God did 
not operate alone. "Let US make man," — who 
was US? 

From a careful study of all ancient and sacred 
history, we learn that there are, in the domains 
of the Supreme Overmind, celestial Hierarchies 



58 Hermaphro- Dei$y ; 

or orders of Gods, who in the scheme of creation 
perform the behest of the Supreme, making His 
thoughts manifest. According to the most oc- 
cult authority, Christ was the leading intelli- 
gence in our circle, and through His creative 
fiat our solar system and Man came into object- 
ive being. 



" For the Father of all things, the Mind, being Life and 
Light, brought forth Man, like unto himself, whom he loved ; 
for he was all beauteous, having the Image of his Father. 

"For the Mind being God, Male and Female, Life and 
Light, brought forth by his Word ; another Mind, the Work- 
man ; which being God of the Fire and the Spirit, fashioned 
and formed seven other Governors, which in their circles 
contain the Sensible World " 

— Hermes. 



There are doubtless many circles and great as- 
semblages of celestial beings sitting in council 
on the momentous work of the evolving and 
objectifying of suns, systems, and races of men. 
As there are myriads of glowing suns in that 
belt of light known to us as the "Milky Way," 
so there are myriads of Godlike beings who 
come and go, doing the work of manifesting 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 59 

the thoughts and plans of the great Central Mind 
of our spiritual universe. 

Creation was not the work of past ages alone, 
but is an ever-present movement of divine Mind. 
The "wheel of life" is ceaseless disintegration 
and creation, ever evolving new forms from the 
old, without the loss or destruction of one par- 
ticle of the divine Substance. 

But for the present we are interested only in 
our own solar system, and especially in the his- 
tory of the creation of our race and planet. 

To be explicit: Christ was the creator of the 
objective man and this world. We are there- 
fore His creation, and that is the reason it is so 
imperative that mankind should come into un- 
derstanding of and at-onement with Him. The 
objective man cannot exist without Him. The 
soul is doomed that will not recognize the Christ, 
because He is the Light and Life of all souls, 
and to persistently shut away that Light is for 
them to eventually go out in utter darkness — 
to become disintegrated; to lose their objectiv- 
ity. 

This teaching presents Christ in a new light, 
and brings Him into closer relationship to our 
humanity, and explains why He, of all the Gods, 
came to the world to redeem the race and re- 
store all things. "He came to redeem His own, 



GO Her rnaphro- Deity : 

and complete His work." Our interpretation 
of the first chapter of St. John will unveil much 
that appears mysterious and irreconcilable, and 
out of which has grown widely divergent opin- 
ions and creeds. 

In the first chapter of St. John the Logos — 
or Word — always signifies the Christ. "In the 
beginning was the Word, and the Word was 
with God, and the Word was God." — or "a" 
God. "The same was in the beginning with 
God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt 
among men. and we beheld His glory, 
as of the only begotten of the Father, full of 
grace and truth. Which was born, not of blood, 
nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of 
man, but of God. In Him was life: and the life 
was the light of men. All things were made by 
Him; and without Him was not anything made 
that was made. He was in the world, and the 
world was made by Him, and the world knew 
Him not. He came to his own domains and 
yet His own people received Him not." 

We have Christ's own words: "My Father 
worketh hitherto, and I work. For the Father 
loveth the Son, and showeth Him all things that 
Himself doeth: and He will show Him greater 
works than these, that you may marvel. For 
what things soever He doeth. these also doeth 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 61 

the Son likewise. As the Father has life in Him- 
self; so He gives also to the Son to have life in 
Himself. I am the way, the truth and the life; 
no man cometh unto the Father but by Me." 

Almost His last utterances were these: "And 
now, O Father, glorify Thou Me, with thine 
own self with the glory which I had with Thee 
before the world was. For Thou lovedst Me 
before the foundation of the world." 

Paul says: "There is one God, the Father, OF 
WHOM are all things, and we IN HIM; and 
one Lord Jesus Christ, BY WHOM are all 
things, and we BY HIM." 

And again, in the first chapter of Hebrews, 
he says: "God * * * hath in these last days 
spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath ap- 
pointed heir of all things, by whom also He 
made the worlds; who being the brightness of 
His glory, and the express image of His per- 
son, and making manifest all things by the word 
of His power." 

In the religious teachings of the world, man 
has been represented as so vile and far removed 
from the divine that to reinstate him would ap- 
pear impossible. So long has he been taught 
that he was utterly degraded and debased in 
both soul and body that he has grown to be- 
lieve the storv, and has materialized condi- 



&2 Hermaphro- Deity : 

tions suitable to such a state of mind. In order 
to redeem him we must change this manner of 
thinking and teaching. 

"God created Man in His own image, in the 
image of God created He him. And God saw 
everything that He had made, and, behold, it 
was very good." From this we perceive that 
man, being in the divine likeness, must, like his 
source, possess infinite possibilities, perfections 
and duration. He has not the power to destroy 
anything created by the divine Mind. 

He has for the time lost sight of his divine 
nature; has forgotten his first estate, as the aged 
and infirm often lose the remembrances of the 
scenes and events of their childhood and youth; 
the spiritual consciousness has become obscured 
through the sense life. 

The divine Mind in man is endued with 
all spiritual understanding, and as he enters the 
realms of that Mind he comes into conscious 
of what appears to the worldly mind so strange 
and mysterious. Christ, endeavoring to in- 
struct the ignorant and stupid crowd that daily 
followed His footsteps, said. "Are your hearts 
stnpified? Having eyes, do you not see? and 
having ears, do you not hear? and do you not 
recollect?" Appealing to their spiritual con- 
sciousness of truths hidden beneath the heavy 
burden of the fleshly memory. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 63 

"Our life is but a sleep, and a forgetting, 
The soul that rises in us, — our life-star — 
Hath had elsewhere its setting, 
And cometh from afar." 

Time, like all of man's inventions, is a weighty 
and oppressive thing. In our present narrowed 
mental condition we cannot grasp the idea of the 
vast periods required to restore the life of our 
planet and its inhabitants. We try to sense in a 
bewildered way the slow and silent process. 

We can form but a dim conception of the 
angelic Man. We are told that he was formed in 
the "image of God," the divine Creator, whose 
Nature is Love, whose Substance is Spirit, 
whose creative Power is Mind; who is unlim- 
ited, — from everlasting unto everlasting, — all- 
seeing, all-knowing. And Man was created of 
His Substance and in His likeness; and our 
Guide said, "Be ye perfect, even as your Father 
in heaven is perfect." 

The reason that we cannot comprehend the 
nature and power of God, and Christ, is because 
we do not understand Man, his creative genius, 
his reasoning power, his marvelous insight into 
hidden forces. 

The creation of a planet and a race of men 



64 Hermaphro- Deity : 

would not appear so incomprehensible if we 
stopped for a moment to consider the wonderful 
creative ability of man. The planning and 
building of our great cities, our navies, our com- 
mercial, electric, telegraphic and steam faci'ities, 
all evolved through man's inventive and creative 
genius; the architect and the artist conceiving 
the ideas, which are submitted to others compe- 
tent to externalize them. One need only to 
watch Tripler's experiments with his "liquified 
air;" or more wonderful still, Tesla's demonstra- 
tion of the "electric life of the universe;" to 
comprehend how a higher grade of mind might 
be able to evolve from the cosmic ether, which 
contains the essence of all shapes, an objective 
world and its inhabitants. 

The men of our present day, possessing but 
ordinary mental capacity, have opened a door 
into hidden forces, back of which lies a latent 
and almighty Power awaiting the command of 
the human race to evolve so-called miracles far 
beyond our present comprehension. The ma- 
jority of the race can form no more conception 
of the order of Mind through which a planet and 
a race of men could be evolved, than I. having 
no knowledge of astronomy, could understand 
the velocity of the planets in their revolutions 
around their centers, or be prepared to tell when 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 65 

the comets, meteoric showers or eclipses are 
due, or of the Martian's mode of irrigation. 

Evidently, the divine idea was to give ex- 
pression to "individuality;" to develop objective 
life, "create forms." "The earth was without form 
and void, and darkness was upon the face of the 
deep." Our planet had not yet assumed shape. 
"The face of the deep" was the vast ocean of 
cosmic, or spiritual Substance, from which are 
evolved all forms of objective life. 

The MIND — the image of Christ — in man, is 
the Power that creates all the marvels of the ob- 
jective worlds. Not only the vegetable, but also 
the animal kingdoms come forth at his bidding; 
all of the glories of architecture, art, literature 
and science — in brief, he has created the ob- 
jective world. 

A limited observation of what we call the 
world of nature would be sufficient to convince 
the thoughtful student of the truth of this 
theory. All that has ever come to the race, by 
way of advancement or comfort from the lower 
kingdoms, has been the result of man's intelli- 
gent effort keeping pace with his demands. 

As illustrations, we will take the present con- 
ditions of those countries that man has in a 
measure forsaken, which were once the pride 
and glory of the world. The Pyramids of Egypt, 



66 Hermaphro- Deity : 

silently brooding over the wastes of sand, could 
they but speak, would confirm this apparently 
extravagant statement. Where is now the glory 
of Egypt? of Phoenicia? of Babylonia? of As- 
syria? Where is Thebes, with her grand and 
massive architecture and her groves of orange, 
citron and olive? Where are the Hanging Gar- 
dens of Babylon? Alas! all the marvels of art 
and science have disappeared like shadows, and 
what we are wont to call Nature fades out and 
is gone when man withdraws his love and foster- 
ing care. 

The evolving of our planet out of the cosmic 
Substance, the putting forth on our globe of the 
various kingdoms, is controlled by the Mind of 
Man. The multiplied eons during which our 
world has revolved in its ocean of ether is of sec- 
ondary interest to us. Man is the crowning 
glory of the whole creation. To know Man is to 
know God. 

The primeval Man would not be so attractive 
to us. but from the fact that his existence and 
destiny is intimately linked with ours: we 
have walked hand in hand with him down the 
slopes of time, and we cannot know ourselves 
until we have come into understanding of his 
origin and nature. We are but a branch of 
that great family that left the Father's house on 






The Mystery of Divine Genius. 67 

their tour of investigation ages and ages ago, 
when the morning stars sang together. 

We will briefly review the early history of our 
race as far back as there is any record, beyond 
that, doubtless for countless ages, the Adamic 
race existed in the radiant atmosphere of a sin- 
less world, where selfishness, disease and death 
were unknown. 

We can form no accurate conception of the 
nature or condition of the inhabitants, or our 
planet, at that time. From very ancient records 
we find this statement: "God made not death; 
neither hath He pleasure in the destruction of 
the living. For he created all things that they 
might have their being; and the generations of 
the world were healthful, and there was no 
poison or destruction in them, nor the kingdom 
of death upon the earth." * 

From Vedantic authorities we learn that 
man was even in the second and third eras an 
ethereal being, and that the exhalations of his 
body were deliciously fragrant; and that all ani- 
mals at that period were like trees, flowers and 
plants, most fragrant." "It is next to impos- 
sible," says this authority, "to give a true con- 
ception of the human beings who once walked 
this earth; its early possessors. They can only 

* Book of Wisdom. 



68 Hermaphro- Deity : 

be realized by the seer, and conceived by those 
whose imaginative powers are of a very high de- 
gree. * 

It is generally supposed that the first and sec- 
ond chapters of Genesis relate to the one creation, 
and the decided difference in the two histories 
has led to great complications and confusion, 
because of the unlikeness of the two creations. 

In the first chapter it is stated: "God created 
Man in His own image. And God saw every- 
thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very 
good." 

The second chapter evidently relates to a 
period in the experience of the race and planet 
widely remote from the first history- The first 
creation was the spiritual Man, in the likeness 
of the Most High. The angelic Man not yet 
having entered into objective life. 

In the second chapter we find, "The Lord 
God," who was given the mission from the 
Father to bring into material life the race and 
the planet (God being the Father, the Lord God 
being the Son), "formed man of the dust of the 
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath 
of life; and man became a living soul." This is 
not a creation — "Became" a living soul. To be- 

* Fragments of Forgotten History. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. . 69 

come, is to pass from one state or condition into 
another, assuming new qualities and offices. 

"Formed man of the dust of the ground." 
this symbolizes a more material state, as we call 
it; but more properly speaking the race and 
planet had entered into objective life, although 
Man was still a sinless and angelic being, and 
the world was as yet in a perfect state. 

"He breathed into his nostrils the breath of 
life, and man became a living soul." This soul 
is something that has been given to the spiritual 
Man who was created in God's image, a neces- 
sary Helper in his search after knowledge. The 
soul represents an individual mind which will 
enable Man to gather up and store away the 
knowledge gained from the varied experiences 
of his numerous lives. This soul or mind reaches 
out, and gathers in all the modes of divine oper- 
ation; dips dow T n into the lowest — if there be 
any lowest — where the spiritual Man could not* 
go, that it may receive instruction concerning 
the mysterious process of creation. In this soul 
is locked a knowledge of all things. 

You will keep before you the fact that soul 
and Spirit are two distinct entities,having widely 
different missions to fulfill. After working out 
its destiny, the soul, rich in the experience of its 
numerous lives, will come into at-onement with 



70 Hermapkro- Deity ; 

the Spirit, thus completing the destiny of man 
and making of him a God. 

The soul or mind is an aggregation of in- 
numerable consciousnesses which, when polar- 
ized, becomes as an effulgent sun the center of 
man's life, as the Supreme Mind is the center of 
the universe. This mind grows. It becomes. 
It expands. It can sin; and IT CAN DIE. 

But the Spirit in man is sinless and deathless. 
It knows no change, is in the likeness of the Su- 
preme Father, the Jehovah Elohim. 

It was Christ who breathed this soul or mind 
into man, and who stamped the objective race 
with His image; and He alone can redeem His 
own, can heal the nation of its disease. 

The theory that God is a principle, a bound- 
less ocean of life, pervading all things alike, leads 
to a vague and hopeless state of mind in the end. 
To those who in early life have been greatly 
shocked by severe Puritanical teachings, this 
theory gives a sense of boundless freedom, at 
first extremely satisfactory, as the higher nature 
always rebels against the doctrine of an angry 
or jealous God; but in time there comes, in place 
of this mental exhilaration, a feeling of loss, a 
sense of being alone and unprotected. An in- 
dividual in this state of mind is as a ship on a 



The Mystery of Divine Genius: 71 

boundless ocean without compass, rudder or 
anchor. 

Man in his present state of development in- 
stinctively yearns for some power greater than 
himself, some source of wisdom in whom he may 
trust, and whom he may love. The spiritual 
Man yearns for the father — mother — the source 
of his being; he does not long for the principle 
of a being, but for the being itself. 

Christ, while with men, constantly taught of 
a Supreme Being, whom He named "■■Father." 
Not His Father alone, but "The Father." "I 
speak that which I have seen with my Father." 
"I came from the Father," and "I go to the 
Father." Christ in all of his teachings endeav- 
ored to present God in an attractive light, so that 
His followers would not only understand the na- 
ture of the Father, but would trust and love Him 
also; and not only trust and love Him, but be- 
come like Him. 

We understand that at this juncture in his 
journey, the average man cannot comprehend 
the modus operandi of the creative plan, or the 
Creator. He has not even fathomed the law 
through which the simplest flower unfolds its 
beauty to the sun. How then can he be ex- 
pected to apprehend that stupendous operation 
by which worlds and races of men are evolved. 



72 Hermaphro Deity ; 

But there are vital points connected with this 
subject which for his safety and advancement 
he should understand. First of all, his divine 
origin, his spiritual nature, his intimate relations 
to the Christ, his limitless mental capacity and 
will power, his power of creating and re-creating. 
He must also understand his religious nature 
and needs; he must know that he can become 
whatever he desires. 



The My ster.y of Divine Genius. 73 



"A man is a bundle of relations, a knot of roots, whose 
flower and fruitage is the world. * * * Human labor, 
through all its forms, from the sharpening of a stake to 
the construction of a city or an epic, is one immense il- 
lustration of the perfect compensation of the universe." 

~ Emerson. 



'Man, what thou art is hidden from thyself. 
Know'st not, that morning, mid-day and the eve 
Are all within thee? The ninth heaven art thou; 
And from the spheres into the roar of time 
Did'st fall ere while. Thou art the brush that painted 
The hues of all the world — the light of life, 
That ranged its glory in the nothingness." 

— Ferridoddin. 



74 Hermaphro Deity ; 

"We will adjourn," said Father Hyacinth at 
the close of the lesson, stepping from the plat- 
form and greeting in his loving way the mem- 
bers of the class that thronged about him. 

"Children, you hear that;" pointing toward 
the great clock that was just then striking ten. 
"This is to be an important day for our little 
world," he continued. "There will be two or 
three hundred visitors, no doubt, and you have 
each a mission to these outside members of the 
great brotherhood. I want you all to try and 
see what kindness, patience and love will do to- 
ward making these outsiders one with us. We 
shall all need to exert ourselves in order to en- 
tertain them as royally as we desire to do. 
Come now," looking back and smiling, "we 
must commence work." 

In a few moments the audience had dispersed, 
each individual obeying the call of duty or the 
prompting of inclination. The Boston man, 
who appeared inclined to be sociable with me 
this morning, proposed that we should unfold 
the chairs and arrange them about the tables, 
which had been opened and placed in order. 
- Brother Paul said that we should require all 
of the reserved seats in the town. This being 
the season of small fruits and roses, the crowd 
would be unusually large. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 75 

After completing our task of placing the chairs 
the Boston man said, "Now let's take our chairs 
out under that grand old tree yonder," pointing 
to a majestic redwood on the edge of the lawn, 
"and have a chat and watch the Brethren set the 
tables. I have travelled extensively in nearly 
every portion of the habitable globe in search of 
curiosities, sights and sounds, and, taking it all 
in all, I have never found a spot so full of inter- 
est, so perfect in every respect, so nearly ideal, 
as this. It appears to me to be a demonstration 
of what is best and wisest in human nature — 
solving the problem of man's possibilities. What 
do you think about it?" turning abruptly to me. 

"I am not wise, neither do I know much about 
the world," I replied, "but the people here seem 
so honest, truthful and happy; everything ap- 
pears very different from anything that I have 
ever known." 

At this moment John and Annie joined us. 
John looking serene and comfortable, as usual; 
and Annie in one of her facetious and excitable 
moods. Coming up to me, she said, "Elizabeth, 
I must go home. If I stay here much longer I 
shall be converted, especially if Brother Paul 
chooses me again as his companion in inspecting 
the fruit orchards. I think I shall need two or 
three more reincarnations in order to get rid of 



76 Hermaphro- Deity : 

my 'badness/ as John calls it. Don't you think 
so, Elizabeth?" turning toward me a face as 
honest and sweet as a child's. 

"If there is one thing that I do desire above 
another," I replied, "it is that in some of your 
incarnations you may evolve the faculty of speak- 
ing the truth, for if there is anything I prize it is 
honesty and truthfulness in those who profess 
to love me." 

"You dear soul," she cried, throwing her arms 
about me and beaming upon me. "you will have 
your heart's desire concerning me if I remain 
here long. They are all so awfully good you 
can't quarrel with anybody. You can't be bad; 
there's nobody to be bad with, especially since 
you are getting regenerated," looking me full in 
the eyes. "This is a curious place up here," 
shaking her head and looking as sober as a 
judge. "I have been about the world a good 
bit, — not so extensively as our distinguished 
friend here," — nodding toward the Boston man, 
"but more than many, and I will say that I never 
saw such a place and such a people. Here are 
over three hundred persons, men and women 
thrown together up in this wilderness, hundreds 
of miles from civilization, some of them not hav- 
ing been off the place in a dozen years: and yet 
all, to a man and a woman, having high-bred 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 77 

manners, being uniformly courteous, cheerful, 
obliging, self-sacrificing, and the most wonder- 
ful of all speaking the English language correct- 
ly. Gracefully and artistically clothed. People 
that when you come in contact with them you 
feel that you are with ladies and gentlemen, no 
matter what may be their color or occupation. 
Society where a gentleman* can smile upon a 
lady, or give a pleasing compliment, without 
being in love with her or desiring her to be in 
love with him." 

"The unusual conditions and practices among 
these people are what make this little world up 
here in the mountains what it is," said John. "I 
learn that, during the fifty odd years that have 
passed since the little band of pilgrims first set- 
tled on this spot, there has never been a case of 
intoxication, an ounce of tobacco used, a quar- 
rel, or a blow struck in anger, on the plantation. 
There are no lawyers or doctors on the place, 
neither marriages nor divorces. These facts ex- 
plain to you why this unusual atmosphere per- 
vades the whole settlement." 

"That is just where the trouble is with me," 
cried Annie. "I can't be so good. I like a good 
fight now and then, and I dote on love-making, 
marriages and especially divorces. These things 
are all there is in life to me; at least, so far as I 




78 Her maphro- Deity : 

have been able to see. I tell you I am not good 
enough to live up here with these people, " 
stamping her feet by way of emphasis. 

"Never mind," said John, "perhaps you are 
better than you know. Come, we will go down 
to the station and welcome the visitors; they 
will bring you a taste of that world which you 
like so much." And drawing her arm within his 
own strong protecting one they walked off to- 
ward the station, Annie looking back and smil- 
ing like a spoiled child. 

The Boston man and I sat in silence for several 
minutes after they had left us. At last my com- 
panion said to me, "Which of all the women who 
appear to adore that handsome brother of yours 
will he be likely to marry?" 

"None of them," I replied; "he will never 
marry." 

"And why not?" he asked with some asperity. 

"Well — because he is not made that way," I 
answered in slangy parlance. 

That polished Boston man gazed at me for 
some moments, his whole manner plainly denot- 
ing disgust. At length he said, "You know bet- 
ter than to make use of any such expressions. 
There is nothing 'smart,' as you call it, in their 
use; on the contrary, it is incorrect and inele- 
gant." 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 79 

"I know that," I replied. "It is another proof 
of the science of that automatic action of the 
brain that we hear so much of in these days." 

"More properly speaking, the automatic ac- 
tion of the tongue; the brain had little to do 
with the matter, the tongue talked itself," said 
the Bostonian sourly. 

We sat for some moments in silence. I knew 
that my companion was correct and that I had 
shown an unattractive side, but I had the Yankee 
element known as "spunk" strong in me with a 
desire for the last word, so I strengthened my 
spinal column and said, "I should judge that a 
large proportion of the conversation in general 
society was automatic; from the tongue only. 
Place a group of garrulous people together, start 
them off on some subject, and it talks itself. 
There would not be expressed one thought in 
hours of such talk. We are very sure to stop 
talking as soon as we begin to think. The 
'thinkers' of the world have not been talkers." 

"Your logic is better than your language, Sis- 
ter," my companion said with mock gravity, and 
rising he offered me his arm, and with a courtly 
air said, "Will you permit me to escort you to 
dinner, which has just been announced?" 

"Yes," I answered, "you no doubt consider 



80 Hermaphro- Deity : 

by this time that I am in need of a tutor or 
guardian." 

"Well, yes; I discovered there are a few things 
for you to learn yet," looking at me with that 
high and mighty air which some men assume 
while looking at a woman whom they consider 
as their inferior. 

"I was not aware that any of us up here could 
lay claim to a knowledge of all things," I return- 
ed spitefully, as we took our seats at the table. 
I did not look at my companion for some time, 
but could feel that he literally shook with sup- 
pressed laughter; over what 1 have no idea. 

The excursion party was on time, and un- 
usually large, one of the most successful that had 
yet been given. The air of kindliness and genu- 
ine politeness exhibited by the members of the 
community toward the visitors made a most fav- 
orable impression. A close inspection was made 
into the various branches of industry on the plan- 
tation, and their original and improved meth- 
ods greatly astonished the leading business men, 
who had come largely out of curiosity. All were 
evidently surprised at the elegance and perfect 
finish of the buildings, particularly that of the 
Home. 

Brother Paul said that these excursions were 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 81 

of great value to the Institution, making it bet- 
ter understood, and adding to its strength in 
every way. He said that three families had on 
this occasion planned with Father Hyacinth to 
enter the Home this season on probation. Also 
that this had been one of the most remunerative 
expeditions they had yet known, requiring an 
extra car to ship the supplies from the Home to 
the junction. The visitors appeared inclined to 
purchase everything they saw in the line of food, 
the quality being so superior and the prices reas- 
onable beyond any thing they had ever known. 
Sister Irene, who superintends the apiary, re- 
ported the sale of three hundred and fifty pounds 
of honey. 



April 15th, 7 p. m. 

Order and comparative silence have been 
again restored to this blessed retreat. Brother 
Rameses has been for the past hour giving in 
his inimitable style on the violin the plaintive 
airs of his native land, until the spirit of Peace 
has spread her wings over all, causing one to feel 
like blessing rather than condemning. In my 
heart I forgave that Boston man for his evident 
belief in his own superiority over women, and as 



82 Hermaphro- Deity : 

I thought it all over I repeated to myself in my 
favorite slang, "He is not to blame, he is made 
that way." 



10 p. m. 

The chimes have just sounded the hour for re- 
tiring, and silence broods over all that was so 
recently the scene of animation and life. 

Annie declared as she was dropping off to 
sleep that this had been the eventful day of her 
whole life. Why or how she did not inform me. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 83 



CHAPTER III. 

Benares, California, April 24th. 

It was announced at the breakfast table that 
Sister Alicia would give the morning lesson in 
place of Father Hyacinth, who had been called 
away, and the subject is to be the Fall of 
Man. I hope she will not let him down too 
hard, for I don't believe that all of the men fell. 

Annie and I, while waiting for the bell to 
sound for the class, were out on the lawn walk- 
ing up and down enjoying the mountain air 
laden with the fragrance of the trees and flowers 
that crowded each other up the mountain side. 

Annie took out her pencil and sharpened it 
most carefully, and unrolled her note paper, say- 
ing, "I want to take down every word of the les- 
son this morning/' smoothing out her paper. 
"Our old minister told me, when I went to him 
for information, not to ask too many questions, 
that I was too young to understand such sub- 
jects." 



84 Her maphro - Deity : 

''Would you have been any better off if you 
had known?" I asked. 

"Why of course I would; wouldn't I?" she 
asked in astonishment. "What are we all up 
here listening to these lessons for if they are no 
good?" 

"Such things are all right for us to know, I 
suppose, if by knowing them we live better lives 
and are kinder to those about us," I replied. 

"Well, that will do," she said, pulling me 
along toward the Home. "We get preaching 
enough in the chapels without your prattle. But 
I am getting more interested in the lessons even- 
day, though they were awfully poky at first. 
Brother Paul has explained many things to me. 
He is too nice for anything. I think it is just 
ridiculous that these Brothers up here can't mar- 
ry!" — jerking out her words with a vengeance. 

"Do they desire to do so?" I asked, in aston- 
ishment. 

"Well, no; not that I know of." she answered 
slowly. "I suppose that John will be more queer 
and outlandish than ever when he gets back 
home, won't he?" 

"I think John will join this brotherhood," I 
answered, after a moment's pause. 

"Well I guess not!" Throwing back her head, 
her black eyes fairly blazing. "You don't sup- 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 8> 

pose for a moment that he would leave you for 
any brotherhood, do you?" 

"But I should come up here too," I said, look- 
ing seriously at her. 

"Not if I can prevent it, you may be sure," she 
said sniffing the air and tossing her head de- 
fiantly. 

"Annie," I said, drawing her arm through 
mine, and taking her hand m a firm clasp, "I 
have come to the conclusion that John takes the 
correct view of life, and I know that he tries to 
live up to what he considers to be right, just and 
loyal toward all men. And I, like King Agrip- 
pa, am almost pursuaded to be a Christian. Lov- 
ing you as I do, I have hoped that you would 
view life in a different way from what we have 
always seen it. That is, more earnest and help- 
ful to those in trouble — yes, and more kindly. 
Loving people more, and seeing fewer faults in 
them." 

She did not raise her head, or speak for several 
minutes; at last she said, tears filling her eyes, 
"My dear, I am not nearly so bad as I appear 
on the surface; I think of many things of which 
I never speak. My early life as a newspaper re- 
porter developed in me a disposition to levity. 
I was nothing, unless I was funny. My occupa- 



86 Hermaphro- Deity : 

tion had a tendency to smother in me everything 
that was earnest and true. I had the reputation 
of being one of the wittiest writers of the day; 
I grew into the habit Of turning everything into 
ridicule; nothing escaped me. I sacrificed my 
best friends to my wit. The habit has grown 
upon me, until people appear ridiculous to me. 
But I am not so severe and critical as I used to 
be; I have more patience with what I call 
people's idiosyncrasies, and know that I have 
grown kindlier toward the human race since I 
came up here. So don't be disheartened, dear.* 
putting her arms about me and caressing me in 
her inimitable manner, "I may be converted yet, 
though I may try your patience in many ways. 
This false way of viewing things has become sec- 
ond nature to me, and I shall transgress before 
I am aware of it. I am a demonstration of your 
theory of the automatic action of the tongue — 
it will talk itself." 

The great bell just now pealed out the hour 
for service and cut short our conversation. We 
entered the chapel in time to listen to the music 
and hear the reading of the lesson, which was 
from the seventeenth chapter of St. John's gos- 
pel. 

I observed that the Boston man had a seat on 
the other side of John, and was looking unusual- 






The Mystery of Divine Genius. 87 

ly modest and humble, an attitude I considered 
decidedly becoming to him. 

When Sister Alicia stepped forward and stood 
in silence for a few seconds, I could not take my 
eyes from her beautiful face; such a feeling of 
pride arose in my heart that she was a woman, 
and that I was a woman — I like men awfully 
well, but there is something about a woman that 
I like more than awfully well — but when she be- 
gan to talk I forgot all about her being a woman 
or anything else. All I could do was just to 
listen, and I think Annie never took her eyes 
from her. It was so soothing to notice the 
graceful fall of her Greek costume as she would 
make appropriate gestures from time to time. 
Women are more beautiful than men, there is 
no denying the fact. 



38 Eermaphro ■ Deity ; 



'Look how the floor of heaven 
Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold: 
There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st 
But in his motion like an angel sings, 
Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubims; 
Such harmony is in immortal souls; 
But whilst this muddy vesture of decay 
Doth grossly close it in. we cannot hear it." 

—Merchant of Venice. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 89 



THIRD LESSON. 

MAN'S MISTAKE. 

'From our Scriptures and all other sacred his- 
tories we learn that the human family, some- 
where in remote ages, transgressed a divine law, 
out of which has grown all of the suffering of the 
world — disease, decay and death. Ancient pro- 
phets and seers declare that man brought all 
forms of suffering upon himself through his dis- 
obedience of a law controlling his physical being. 

There have been a few adepts in occult science 
who have stated what that sin was and what law 
was broken, but these statements have never 
been placed in a familiar light before the student 
of sacred history, so there is a general mis- 
understanding as to the what or how or when 
of the catastrophe. But all believers in our 
Bible, Christian or otherwise, hold steadfastly to 
the belief that our forefathers, at some period of 
the journey of life, deliberately took matters into 
their own hands which brought about the pres- 
ent condition of things, but no one appears will- 
ing to tell just what that sin was. 



90 Hermaphro Deity ; 

Mankind must have done something. 

(According to our Scriptures, the race was 
given control over the earth in all of its glory, 
"And out of the ground made the Lord God to 
grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and 
good for food; and the tree of life also in the 
midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge 
of good and evil. And the Lord God said to this 
people, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest 
freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of 
good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the 
day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely 
die." 

We understand that this did not relate to the 
death of the body alone, as we know death, but 
to the degeneracy of the soul; to the introduc- 
tion of disease, decay and death into every king- 
dom upon the earth. 

One of the undisputed privileges of all divinely 
created beings is FREE Will, with the right to 
use it; which the Divine Power cannot deny. 

There came a phase in the growth of the race 
when there was developed an insatiable hunger 
to know more concerning the working of the 
divine law of life. Not alone were these child- 
ren of the Divine given the use of Free Will, but 
they were also given the privilege of solving all 
apparent hidden mysteries. These angelic beings 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 91 

were informed that if they would know all 
things, they must come in touch with all things, 
and suffer all things. They, nothing daunted, 
said, "Father, give us the portion that falleth to 
us." And this family of the Infinite "took its 
journey into a far country, and THERE 
WASTED ITS SUBSTANCE IN RIOTOUS 
LIVING." 

I wish to make some statements here that I 
fear may shock some, because of the strangeness 
and newness of the thought; but we must bear 
in mind that there is nothing new. 

Now the original God-created race was an- 
drogynous, or hermaphroditic, when it started 
out on that journey. The divine plan of popu- 
lating the world at that time was through im- 
maculate conception. In those later and de- 
generate days, Mary, the mother of our Lord, 
came as a perfect and normal type of the original 
race that inhabited our globe before sin came. 
Christ following, revealing in perfection the di- 
vine dual man, and coming in the original order 
of reproduction; not the result of a miracle. 

In the third era, we learn that man was f6rmed 
of the dust of the ground, and that the Lord 
God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; 
and he became a living soul." Here is a de- 
cided change from the first race which was in the 



92 Hermaphro-Deity : 

divine image. Something had been added 

thereto. To "become" is to pass from one state 
or condition into another. Doubtless in that 
garden of the Lord, where He walked "in the 
cool of the day," there passed cycles of time, 
during which Man was still an angelic being, al- 
though he had come into possession of a form 
to suit his needs. 

Then again another countless sweep of time — 
ages, too vast to comprehend — and we hear, 

"And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall 
upon Adam — or Man — and he slept." That 
"deep sleep" that fell upon the race was a cloud- 
ing of the spiritual understanding and an awak- 
ening into material consciousness. At this stage 
we hear not only of man, but also of woman, and 
we learn that they have bodies of flesh. "L'n- 
to Adam also and unto his wife did the Lord 
God make coats of skins, and clothed them." 

The few thousand years generally accepted as 
the age of the planet and the race is not so much 
as the dawn of one of the creative periods known 
as the six days of creation. Time is among 
man's inventions. In the divine ordering there 
is no Time. "One day is with the Lord as a 
thousand years; and a thousand years is as one 
day." 

During the figurative "sleep" which fell upon 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 93 

mankind, great changes were wrought in mind, 
body and environments. Marked differences oc- 
curred in the bodily formations; there was pro- 
duced what scientists have named as differenti- 
ation of the sex : the evolution of individual man 
and individual woman, in place of those dual 
beings, those "Sons of God," who in the begin- 
ning peopled our planet. 

What has always been known as the "Fall of 
Man" was the gradual descent of the celestial 
Man into what we call animal generation, the 
production of animal man ; the race having fallen 
into an abnormal state of mind, in time mani- 
fested a marked change in bodily form, a change 
that rendered the propagation of the animal man 
possible, an artificial method of reproducing the 
race. 

This was that great sin which Man was forbid- 
den to commit; it was that fruit of the tree of 
knowledge which he was commanded not to 
touch, unless he was willing to take the penalty, 
which was death and everything that goes to 
bring it. 

It required countless periods of time to de- 
velop those physical malformations necessary to 
render animal generation among men possible. 
In all probability but a small portion came under 
this curse at the beginning. We read: "And it 



94 Hermaphro- Deity : 

came to pass, when man began to multiply on 
the face of the earth, and daughters were born 
to them, that the Sons of God saw the daughters 
of men that they were fair, and they took them 
wives of all which they chose * * * • and 
they bore children to them." 

Those "Sons of God" were of the celestial fam- 
ily who had not yet lost their original conforma- 
tion. The daughters of men were of the fleshly 
generation. From those "Sons of God" and 
"daughters of men" came our present race.* 

According to all geological survey, the recov- 
ery of the Mastodons and other monstrous 
shapes, showing the slow stages of development, 
there must have been incalculably long reaches 
of time, countless ages, during which shifting 
periods nothing but confusion, discord and 
fering existed upon the sorrowful planet. A 
period of darkness, before the full establishment 
of the law of human propagation: a reign of ter- 
ror; such hideous forms, such monstrosities as 
were produced through that man-made law can 

* There are many evidences of man's dual nature still extant— cer- 
tain physical conformations that have always aroused much discus* 
pecially among the more earnest students of anatomy. The human body 
is a dual structure both in form and function. Physiologists have never 
done with questioning why the brain was in pairs, and why the ner 
vel In pairs from the medulla to the feet. Then, too. careful students 
have long questioned the purpose of the rudimentary mammary glands in 
the male species; evidently they were not intended for ornament, as what 
we call Nature, creates only for use. Anyone familiar with the study of 
anatomy must be impressed with the similarity between the male and fe- 
male organizations, especially in the organs of generation. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 95 

scarcely be comprehended by the human mind. 
We read, "There were giants in the earth in 
those days." 

All of the lower kingdoms upon the earth suf- 
fered alike from the sin. Through man's sex- 
transgression there was engendered a deadly 
virus, becoming a race contagion, and being by 
degrees infused into the life of all the lower king- 
doms. 

From our sacred authority we read: "The 
Lord said unto Adam, Because thou hast heark- 
ened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten 
of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, 
Thou shalt not eat of it; cursed is the ground 
for thy sake ; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the 
days of thy life; thorns and thistles shall it bring 
forth to thee. In the sweat of thy face shalt 
thou eat bread. And God saw that the wicked- 
ness of man was great in the earth, and that 
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart 
was evil continually, * * * for the earth 
was filled with violence, * * * for all flesh 
has corrupted his way upon the earth. * * * 
And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always 
strive with man, for that he also is flesh." 

Man here referred to was doubtless those rem- 
nants of the androgynous race fast becoming ex- 
tinct through physical union with the "daugh- 



96 Hermaph ro- Deity : 

ters of men." "And the Lord God said, Behold 
the man (the race) has become as one of us, to 
know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth 
his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and 
eat, and live forever; therefore the Lord God 
sent him forth from the garden of Eden. * * 
He drove out the man. And he placed at the 
east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a 
flaming sword which turned every way, to keep 
the way of the tree of life." 

The race having disobeyed the divine com- 
mand, and transgressed a spiritual law, or rather 
having substituted the law of flesh for the law 
of spirit, had become as creators; had through 
the eating of that "tree of knowledge of good 
and evil" brought forth the man of flesh, in 
which exists all evil. In order that this self- 
created race should not lay hold of and eat the 
tree of life and live forever in its transgressions 
and crimes, hosts of cherubims, spirits of fire 
with their naming swords of death, were placed 
at the entrance of the eternal life. Thus we see 
that through the sins of fleshly man alone death 
entered into the world. 

The chief point of importance in this lesson is 
the fact that the divine Man, the true Man. being 
created androgynous, cannot be changed any 
more than God can be changed. Each individ- 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 97 

ual is dual in the spiritual nature ; each is a union 
of the divine feminine and divine masculine still. 
The apparent division is in the external shell, 
the body only, and that is the creation wholly of 
the fleshly or carnal mind, in which, as we have 
seen, exists all wrongs. 

The race belief in the division of the sex has 
had the tendencv to accentuate the leading- char- 
acteristics of both man and woman; developing 
in the male character a disposition to be severe, 
harsh, dictatorial and tyrannical, because de- 
prived of the softening influence of the womanly 
nature, being as a kingdom divided against itself. 

Man believes himself to be a single, separate 
individual, having a feminine counterpart some- 
where in the universe wandering up and down in 
search of him. While the woman is unceasingly 
seeking for her "twin soul," both as wretched as 
human beings can be, for they always make the 
mistake and take their neighbor's "counterpart" 
or "twin soul." 

Paracelsus said, centuries ago, "There is per- 
haps no doctrine which has done' more mischief 
than the misconstrued teaching about 'soul af- 
finities' and 'soul marriages,' because such a doc- 
trine is willingly accepted by the carnal mind. 
God did not create souls in halves; nor can 



98 Her maphro -Deity : 

Adam find his Eve again, unless she grow with- 
in his heart." 

The masculine characteristics displayed in the 
strongest specimens of manhood are great cour- 
age, strength of purpose, love of self, steadfast- 
ness, truthfulness, bravery, with the power to 
reason, analyze and especially to command. 
These are considered to be exclusively the char- 
acteristics of man. While the set of faculties 
considered as purely feminine are love of home 
and offspring, tenderness, patience, faithfulness, 
mercy, and intuition, with the desire for self- 
sacrifice. These qualities of course render her 
so much more docile, gentle and easily com- 
manded by the thoroughly masculine man. 

Bayard Taylor says, "Genius is always herma- 
phroditic, adding the male element to the 
woman and the female to the man." 

Those self-poised, commanding, useful, and 
independent women, who have been foremost in 
all works for the emancipation and elevation of 
humanity, have developed the dual mind and 
nature. They have manifested strength of pur- 
pose, courage, sense of justice, truthfulness, with 
the power to reason, analyze and command, 
blended with all of the sweet and gentle feminine 
traits. 

Such women have not considered it sufficient 



■ 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 99 

that men should monopolize and use those ele- 
ments of strength alone. They have developed 
these so-called masculine qualities in themselves, 1 

and yet have lost nothing of their feminine grace 
and sweetness. Indeed they have been the more 
merciful, more loving, more self-sacrificing for 
the uniting of the two natures. 

The noblest of men have possessed in their 
characters a blending of love with justice, devo- 
tion with courage, patience with strength; and 
with their power to reason, analyze and com- 
mand, the woman's intuition and desire for self- 
sacrifice. 

Each to a degree have returned to the an- 
drogynous type. There have been, and there are 
still, many such who stand out in sublime relief 
above the race. Such have been the tenderest, 
strongest, most faithful and patient of men; the 
wisest, kindest, grandest and most helpful of 
women. 

All such have entered into that "kingdom of 
God" where they shall no longer be "twain" but 
"one flesh." 

This state or condition is the marriage of the 
divine love and wisdom, the feminine and mas- 
culine natures in the individual. 

The teaching and demonstrating of this vital 
truth was one of the most important of Christ's 



3 00 Her maphro- Deity : 

mission. The recovery of that nature in man 
was that ''kingdom of God" concerning the na- 
ture of which He so emphasized in all of His les- 
sons. "Neither shall they say, Lo, here! or lo, 
there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within 
you." 

Christ was a perfect example of the celestial 
marriage — the dual individual — and was there- 
fore called the "Bridegroom. " John the Baptist 
said of Him: "The Bridegroom is He who pos- 
sesses the bride. He must increase; I must de- 
crease." 

While Christ, in speaking of John, said: "I 
say unto you. Among those born of woman, 
there is not a greater than John, yet the least in 
the kingdom of God is superior to him." Be- 
cause John had not attained to that celestial 
union — the two-in-one — or had not become con- 
scious of it. • 
Jacob Boehme say 

"What is mystically called the end of the world 
is the end of external or physical generation, and 
will be when the man has again found the 
woman within himself: from whom he has be- 
come separated by his descending from his spir- 
itual state and becoming gross and material. 
The man is not without the woman. That is to 
say, the paradisiacal man is still male and female 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 10 L 

in one. But man having ceased to be lord, and 
become servant to the animal kingdom in him, 
has ceased to recognize the true woman within, 
his heavenly bride, and seeks for the woman in 
that which is external to him. Therefore man 
cannot enter into his original state of unity and 
purity except by means of the celestial marriage 
in his own soul." 

To the Aveak and oppressed feminine portion 
of the race life has always presented a serious as- 
pect. Woman has always been a prey to evil in- 
fluences because of her historical weakness. The 
literal interpretation of the story concerning the 
formation of Eve, that rib business and its in- 
corporation into all religions and creeds, has 
caused a deep and lasting prejudice against 
womankind wherever the story has been told. It 
is a race hypnotization. 

According to the received authority, the Lord 
instructed Adam as to what he should and 
should not do, while Eve was left to herself to be 
tempted, to bring disaster not alone to the 
human family, but a curse to all of the lower 
kingdoms and the planet itself. 

The universal belief is that the weight of the 
whole calamity of the Fall of Man rests wholly 
upon the woman. This has been the teaching, 
so that it is not strange that she should be under 



102 Hermaphro-Deity : 

the bondage of that belief. Woman's natural in- 
feriority and wickedness has become a race be- 
lief, so that notwithstanding all of her efforts to 
elevate herself, she still maintains a humiliated 
position, from which man in his present state is 
not likely to help to elevate her. 

This false teaching has influenced and biased 
the judgment of many of our most gifted and 
grand men. Paul, that wise and enlightened 
mystic, has left through his teaching a spirit of 
bondage for the women of all Christendom. 

It is one of the marked characteristics of the 
mind of flesh to degrade the woman. So true 
is this of the carnal mind, that the average 
women, as a rule, do not love, cherish and sym- 
pathize with each other. It is only those ad- 
vanced, cultured and broadly humane of the sis- 
terhood that love all womenkind ?>nd who labor 
for their advancement and upbuilding. Such un- 
consciously recognize the divine woman in all. 
And it will be only when the man becomes con- 
scious of the divine woman within himself that 
women, as a race, will receive a just recognition. 

The mystery of the divine feminine is the cen- 
tral truth in the Catholic religion, and explains 
their worship of the "Mother." 

One of the fatal results of the fall of the race 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 103 

into animal generation was the reincarnation of 
the soul into new bodies on this p'anet. Through 
sin man entered upon the ever-circling wheel of 
Time, where he will revolve and continue to re- 
volve in the narrow circuit of death, and re-birth, 
until his regeneration or the resurrection of his 
divine mate within. 

The soul had its mission to perform on this 
plane of existence, but having come under the 
control of the carnal mind — the mind of the 
flesh — it lost sight of the errand upon which it 
was sent, and has therefore become "earth- 
bound;" and according to the carnal law, the 
law controlling the earth under man, it will be 
compelled to re-embody until it either learns 
that for which it was created, or passes out of 
being, and becomes as chaff from the "mills of 
God." 

Milton pictures this state or condition of the 
soul : 

"But when lust 
By unchaste looks, loose gestures, and foul talk, 
But most by lewd and lavish acts of sin, 
Lets in defilement to the inward parts, 
The soul grows clotted by contagion, 
Imbodies, and imbrutes, till she quite lose 
The divine property of her first being." 



104 



Hermaphro- Deity 



Re-embodiment is the law governing all physi- 
cal life; and reincarnation of the race into new 
bodies and new environments is but the fulfill- 
ment of that law. Man takes upon himself many 
guises, according to the status of his mind and 
desires, and his progress toward the object of his 
creation, or his dissolution. 

There are many grades in the school which he 
has entered, and he will be environed to suit his 
grade. Where he may be placed, on what 
planet, with what surroundings during his later 
term of schooling, is not for him to know just 
now. The eternal law of fitness will govern all. 
One who holds in tenderest love the least and 
lowliest among us has promised that there shall 
be a place for all. "In my Father's house there 
are many mansions; if it were not so, I would 
have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, 
* * . * that where I am there ye may b? also." 

The religious teaching that man came into ex- 
istence for the first time here upon this planet, 
on which he lives a brief span. sins. suffers and 
dies, and goes into a changeless state of bli- 
woe. or out entirely, according to his meri: 
nature, is, as a body of teaching, most uns 
factory and crippling to the mind: because there 
is in man an impulse toward progress and spirit- 



The Myster y of Divine Genius . 1 05 

ual enlightenment. It is the promptings of the 
divine life within him. It was that impulse that 
forced him out on his tour of inspection and in- 
vestigation'. All teachings that limit his mental 
and spiritual powers cause him to retrograde. 
This is the condition in which we find mankind 
at the present time. 

We have been taught that inasmuch as man 
has degraded himself, he must likewise elevate 
himself. Even a Christ or God has not the 
power to save a soul that WILL NOT rise above 
the carnal life. 

All knowledge upon these subjects will be of 
no real value to mankind so long as the mind of 
the world rules. 

That old and hackneyed story of being "born 
again'' is not mere cant, as many of you believe, 
but has in it a vital truth. It simply signifies that 
the individual has laid aside his carnal mind, and 
come into possession of his divine Mind, which 
consists of all understanding just as fast as he 
unfolds it. It is like laying aside a worn and 
filthy garment, and assuming a new one of rich 
and lasting fabric, fashioned in a pleasing and 
graceful style. He has met with a change of 
mind instead of heart, as we were wont to call it, 
and as his higher Mind gradually unfolds he will 
grow to lay less stress on this life, so short and 



106 Hermaphro- Deity : 

unsatisfactory, which is but a little term in that ex- 
istence of ever-increasing knowledge and under- 
standing, of which this life is but an hour's 
schooling. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 107 



"The object of man's existence is to be a Man, includ- 
ing all that this term implies. To re-establish the har- 
mony which originally existed between him and the divine 
state, before the separation took place which disturbed 
the equilibrium. * * * To re-establish this harmony, 
man may bring the will of God to perfect expression in 
his nature by learning to know within himself the will of 
God, and being obedient to it, and thereby his own na- 
ture, and finally even the Whole of the Macrocosm, may 
become spiritualized and be rendered paradisiacal. 

— Paracelsus. 



108 Hermaphro Deity 



CHAPTER IV. 

Benares, California. May 4th. 

This morning, before the hour for our lesson, 
Annie and myself started out on an exploring 
expedition up the mountain side in quite a new 
direction. Following a well-traveled roadway 
we came suddenly upon a strange looking build- 
ing, quite cuit of sight of the Home buildii 
built in the side of the mountain, and of ' 
blocks of the native stone, giving it an appear- 
ance of great solidity. At the one entrance was 
a massive iron door, and I noticed it had one 
large chimney. There were no other buildings 

near. 

"This must be where they store their dyna- 
mite." I said, after studying the strange structure 
for a time. 

"Dynamite!" exclaimed Annie. "What pos- 
sible use could they have for such an explosive 
material away up here, out of the world?" 

"For blasting rocks." I suggested. 

"Oh, but these people don't do any such rack- 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 109 

ety things up here," she persisted. "They don't 
believe in doing anything that disturbs their 
equilibrium ; that breaks the serene harmony of 
their environments. They don't want to have 
their atoms jarred or shocked — so that stately 
individual called Rameses informed me." 

I was disgusted with the girl's flippancy and 
utter lack of seriousness; I turned and studied 
her for a moment, she returning my gaze inno- 
cently and patiently. 

"You incorrigible little heathen! I wonder if 
you really have a soul?" I asked, looking at her 
in amazement. 

"I don't think I have," she replied soberly. 
"I think that my other half has never been 
evolved yet, and Brother Paul says that we do 
not have a soul till'that takes place." 

I looked at her in silence. I know that she did 
not believe one word of what she had been say- 
ing; and yet her countenance was as serene and 
unruffled and as innocent as a babe's. For the 
first time in all of my acquaintance with this girl 
a feeling of impatience toward her seized me. 

"I do wish that you could be honest and sin- 
cere occasionally," I blurted out, and turned 
from her and walked away. 

At this moment two of the Brothers came 
around the base of the mountain and joined us, 



110 Hermaphro - Deity ; 

and I asked them the purpose of the odd-looking 
building. 

"It is our crematory," one of them replied. 
"Here are cremated all animal remains." 

"What do you do with your animals when 
they become disabled, or too old for further 
use? You never make any use of animal food, 
and I am told that you never sell a live creature 
from the place," questioned Annie. 

"In the first place, we take the best possible 
care of our animals," said the younger of the 
two men, "and by that means they live and re- 
main active to a much greater age than do do- 
mestic animals generally. As soon as they be- 
come too old for use, or disabled in any manner, 
we turn them out in a large inclosure prepared 
for the purpose, which we call our hospital. In 
this there are comfortable stables and plenty of 
fresh and delicious water. Our animals that have 
become superannuated or disabled are cared for 
as carefully as when in their prime." 

"We love our animals," said the elder of the 
two men, his face glowing with enthusiasm, "and 
we care for them as tenderly as we would the 
human members of our family. When they be- 
come utterly helpless our surgeon applies a lit- 
tle chloroform, and in a few moments thev are 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. Ill 

at rest, without a struggle; then the remains are 
cremated and that ends the matter." 

''Matters are quite different with us in regard 
to such things/' remarked Annie. "When our 
domestic animals get too old for service, our 
cows are sent away to be converted into steaks 
and roasts, and our dear old pet horses into 
bologna sausage and canned beef." 

The two brethren smiled at Annie's sarcasm, 
and asked us if we enjoyed that sort of diet. 

Just here the great bell sounded the quarter 
to nine, and we all descended together, reaching 
the chapel in time to hear the chanting and sit 
through their five minutes' heavenly silence. 

The subject for this morning's lesson is of un- 
usual interest to me; anything of an occult na- 
ture at once arouses my curiosity. Much in the 
teachings here explains to me John's peculiar 
views and mode of life. Each day since I came 
here I have learned a lesson, each one showing 
me how little I really knew that was of any im- 
portance in life. 

There appeared to be an air pervading the 
chapel this morning unlike anything that I had 
ever experienced in any other room or building; 
and as I sat, with closed eyes, listening to the 
tremulous tones of the organ and the low sweet 
voices chanting the psalms, I experienced a 



112 Hermaphro- Deity : 

strange thrill throughout my entire being; many- 
new and strange thoughts came to me; and I re- 
called that command that was given to the 
chosen few, to remain in Jerusalem until they 
were baptized with the Holy Spirit; and I ques- 
tioned as to the nature of that Holy Spirit. 
I also recalled the fact that that Presence and 
that promise of Power was not given to the 
apostles of that time and that place alone, but to 
the devoted lovers and followers at all times and 
in all places made sacred to Him. And my heart 
opened up to the world, and I embraced all in 
love, and I forgave Annie and clasped her hand 
in mine. 

Father Hyacinth stood for iome moments mo- 
tionless after the singing ceased. These periods 
of silence appeared more impressive to me than 
words however eloquent, but I was scarcely pre- 
pared for the lesson of the morning; indeed it 
opened into an entirely new and strange world, 
but one which commends itself nevertheless to 
my inner consciousness. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 113 



FOURTH LESSON. 

NATURE SPIRITS. 

Man has developed the sense-life on the 
animal plane to such a degree that it is impos- 
sible for him to comprehend those silent and 
subtle forces that move the universe. For in- 
stance, fire and electricity, two elements of com- 
mon everyday use, yet wholly unknown to him 
as naked forces. He can only see and feel the 
workings of those hidden laws. 

It is the same with the Elemental world; a 
world of semi-intellectual beings which largely 
control the elements — the earth, water, fire and 
air — the human race is at all times more or less 
under the influence of these beings, without 
knowing how to defend themselves against their 
assaults. Man should know how to control these 
beings as well as he now does light, air, water 
and electricity. He now moulds many things to 
his use that he does not know the basic principles 
of at all. 

From all occult writings we ascertain that 
there have been large numbers of men — and 



114 Her maphro - Deity : 

women also — who have been perfectly familiar 
with those denizens of the invisible universe. 
Not only been cognizant of them, but able to 
control them. 

These were the demons and devils spoken of 
by Christ, and which his disciples commanded 
and controlled. The Vedantic authorities call 
this class of life Elementals; in our Bible they 
are spoken of as cherubims and angels. 

Zechariah, in describing one of his visions, 
says: "Then I said unto the angel who talked 
with me. What are these, my lord? And the 
angel answered and said unto me. These are the 
four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from 
standing before the Lord of all the earth." 

Ezekiel's visions appeared to be of the same 
nature, he said: "Also out of the midst thereof 
came the likeness of four living creatures. And 
this was their appearance; they had the likeness 
of a man * * * * and I knew that they 
were cherubims. And the cherubims lifted up 
their wings from the earth in my sight." 

We consider our Scriptures to be the most re- 
liable authority on occult matters, and they are 
full of proofs of the existence of these Nature 
Spirits. They also teach of other classes of 
spirits, some of which are of the most diabolical 
type, and do not belong to the elements, but 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 115 

are such as entered into the swine during the 
ministry of Christ. 

There is a deeply occult lesson in that story 
of the devils entering into the swine, which 
would be most profitable for the new class to 
study carefully. I cannot in this connection ex- 
plain, because it would open a vast field of study 
and speculation too wide and deep for the oc- 
casion. , 

Cornelius Agrippa says: u As the spirits of 
darkness be stronger in the dark, so good spirits, 
which be angels of light, are augmented not only 
by the divine light of the sun, but also by our 
common wood fires; and as the celestial fire 
drives away dark spirits, so also this our fire of 
wood doth the same." 

Here the question will naturally arise, Are 
these the spirits of departed human beings? 

No ; we are not dealing with the spirits of the 
so-called dead, but with a world of life, with its 
thousands of different forms over which we are 
to obtain control. Man, if he did but know 
it, is superior to these subordinate kingdoms. 
"I have said, Ye are Gods!" declared David. 

No; those Spirits of which we have been 
talking are the Elementals of the Vedas, and the 
cherubims and seraphims of our Bible. Certain 
species of the Elementals are those spirits of 



116 Hermaphro- Deity : 

darkness alluded to in the occult philosophies. 
The angels of light being the seraphims, a very- 
high order of intelligence, that have a most im- 
portant mission to mankind for good. 

Our inability to see the inhabitants of the spir- 
itual world does not thereby separate us from 
them, all of which are powerful factors for good 
or ill to the race and the planet. 

Man's descent into animal generation was the 
commencement of a species of hostility to be 
waged against him by the unseen. He had trans- 
gressed a divinely established law by which the 
rights of those hosts in the unseen region had 
been usurped. 

"Evil spirits are, so to say, bailiffs and exe- 
cutioners of God. They have been called into 
existence by the influence of evil, and they work 
out their destiny," declares Paracelsus. 

In the divine plan, man had a mission to these 
beings, as all higher types have to the lower; 
but he, forgetting his divine origin, and going 
into business on his own responsibility on the 
animal plane, aroused a deadly antagonism in 
the Elemental worlds, which had been, during 
his state of innocence, a great strength and 
power for good. 

The truth is, they reflect all moods and states 
of mind. While man was pure and good, they 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 117 

were good. They respond to man's moods. They 
manifest love where love prevails, and hatred 
and rage where such passions predominate. All 
discord, from whatever cause; all bloodshed, 
whether from the slaughtering of men or ani- 
mals; has the power to arouse the anger and 
excitement of these unseen hosts. In retaliation 
they cause the various upheavals in nature. 
Whenever there are any great outbreaks of 
human passion, they gather in great armies and 
join in the battle. 

The fearful shock which our planet exper- 
ienced during the crucifixion of our Lord was 
caused by the rage of those celestial armies. The 
fearful earthquake, the tempests and thick black- 
ness that enveloped the land and covered Jerusa- 
lem as with a pall, rending her temple, tearing 
asunder her grand edifices and walls, were the 
work of those enraged hosts. 

They make war where the spirit of war exists. 
They reflect the states of mind of the individual 
or of bodies of individuals. They reflect the 
strongest influence for the time. Not being 
reasoning creatures they act only from impulse. 

According to the teaching of Paracelsus these 
beings have their hates and their loves. He says : 
"The Elementals have an aversion to self- 
conceited and opinionated persons, drunkards 



118 Hermaphr o- Deity : 

and gluttons, and to vulgar and quarrel- 
some people of all kinds; but they love natural 
men, who are simple minded and childlike, inno- 
cent and sincere." 

Under pure, good and healthy influences these 
Spirits become powerful allies in good works. 
They come to the aid of the Christian healer, 
especially where material — so-called — environ- 
ments need to be removed, changed or done 
away with. They are God's workers and war- 
riors on the unseen plane. 

The centurion understood this philosophy 
when he besought Christ to heal his servant. 
"I am coming and will cure him." the Master 
said. But the Roman said. "I am not worthy 
that Thou shouldest come under my roof; but 
only command by word, and my servant will be 
cured. For even I am a man, appointed under 
authority, having soldiers under me: I say to 
this one. Go, and he goes; to another. Come, 
and he comes; and to my servant. Do this, and 
he does it." Jesus said, "Beit doneto thee as thou 
hast believed." And the sen-ant was immediately- 
restored. And Christ was astonished at the un- 
derstanding of this hidden force manifested by 
an ordinary soldier. 

This power was understood by the Greeks, 
and no doubt bv the Romans lar^elv. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. lit) 

Christ knew that the slightest resistance 
aroused the antagonism of the large bodies that 
follow the human family constantly; therefore 
non-resistance was one of the strongest points in 
His teaching. His was the law of love; and love 
cannot resist. We all know the law! "I say 

unto you, oppose not the injurious person; but 
if any one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn 
to him also the left." 

All states of mind are contagious; the indi- 
vidual who indulges in the spirit of combative- 
ness and resistance, however silently, will arouse 
the same low element in those about him. Not 
only will he arouse it in the human, but also ;.n 
those hosts of Elementals that constantly sur- 
round him, and are interested in all that he 
thinks or does. 

"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth 
to minister to them who shall be heirs of salva- 
tion?" Paul asks. 

It was this mighty unseen force to which 
Christ referred on that night of agony and de- 
sertion in Gethsemane: "Dost thou think that I 
cannot intreat my Father, and He will send to 
my relief more than twelve legions of angels?" 

The most prominent of all scriptural teach- 
ing is that of angelic and spiritual ministry; and 
no careful student and thorough believer in the 



120 Hermaphro- Deity ; 

New Testament can have the slightest doubt of 
the statements concerning these powers. The 
seventy, on their return from their mission of 
healing and teaching, declared with joy: "Lord, 
even the demons are subject unto us by thy 
name." The name of Christ was as an ele- 
ment of peace to those fiercely disturbed armies 
of spiritual soldiery. "For He is our peace, hav- 
ing removed the enmity/' Paul tells us. 

Where the evil thoughts of large bodies of 
people are commingled, as in warfare, or political 
strife, where fierce animosity prevails, these Na- 
ture Spirits become so enraged, and so numerous 
are they, that their action upon the elements is 
often of the most disastrous nature, producing 
terrible storms, great conflagrations in towns 
and cities,also those destructive forest fires which 
are so mysterious and impossible to control. 

All antagonism and resistance has the ten- 
dency to inflame and enrage these unreasoning 
entities. This explains Christ's spirit of non-re- 
sistance. ''When he was buffeted He buffeted 
not back again." 

As a rule they follow the strongest lead. There 
have been times when vast hordes of these crea- 
tures have come under the control of wicked 
leaders of high intelligence, who have made use 
of this power for evil purposes, and through 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 121 

which great cataclysms have occurred at various 
periods of the world's history. 

Paul, who understood the nature and influence 
of these denizens of the unseen world, not only 
upon the elements, but upon the human and ani- 
mal creation, tried to forcibly impress upon his 
students the fact of the constant warfare between 
the carnal mind and these unseen armies. He 
says, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty where- 
with Christ has made you free, and be not en- 
tangled again in the yoke of bondage, wherein 
in times past you all walked according to the 
course of this world, according to the prince of 
the power of the air, the spirit that now work- 
eth in the children of disobedience." 

Another occult writer says: "There are good 
Spirits and Spirits of evil; planetary Spirits and 
angels. There are the Spirits of the four ele- 
ments, and there are many thuosands of different 
kinds. Men have their leaders and authori- 
ties; bees and ants their queens; and all ani- 
mals have their leaders. So also have the Spirits 
of nature their kings and queens." * 

Mankind must come into the knowledge of 
the Elemental world in order to control and 
command this power as they now do fire, elec- 

* Paracelsus. 



122 Hermaphro- Deity : 

tricity and other unseen forces. It will be im- 
possible for the race to become regenerated 
without a certain knowledge of these kingdoms. 
For illustration, take the elements of fire and 
water, both indispensable to the maintenance 
of all life; and yet how destructive to life when 
not under the control of man. A child is early 
taught this much of science, that he may avoid 
danger. Christ, during his ministry, made 
known the existence of these beings to his 
apostles, and also instructed them as to the law 
by which the Elemental life was controlled. 

While none of us understand perfectly the real 
nature of the air which we breathe, we know 
that we cannot exist many seconds if it be shut 
away from our lungs; we therefore control this 
element. We know that if any foreign element 
be introduced into it that our lives are endanger- 
ed; we understand enough of the nature of this 
life principle to correct all these things. It is 
only a step higher to the control of that Element- 
al life that surrounds us all, very much as the air 
does; we each have our "familiars." let us try 
and make good use of them. 

As we investigate the character of these occult 
forces, and appreciate our absolute oneness with 
them all, we will not need to question why there 
is never a loud, harsh or angry word uttered on 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 123 

this plantation; and why an animal never re- 
ceives a blow or an unkind word, why nothing 
that has life is ever tortured or slaughtered. 

We esteem it a crime to entertain an angry or 
unkind thought, or to speak an ill word to or of 
another; a crime for which we shall receive due 
punishment; there will be no escape. 

You now understand why love is the ruling 
principle here. 

Every Brother and Sister, through a know- 
ledge of these hidden laws, has become a master 
or mistress over those agents of the Most High, 
controlling them for wise purposes. 

This spot is to be our Mount Zion. From 
this spot are constantly going out in all di- 
rections messages of peace and love that shall 
help to heal the diseased soul of our planet. On 
this consecrated spot is set up those ladders of 
light which Jacob saw in his vision; and on those 
ladders shall come and go those helpers of God 
which are promised to the children of earth. 

You must all, by this time, appreciate the re- 
generating influence of such a nucleus as this 
upon that great sea of warring, brutal passions 
that cover the earth as the waters cover the 
mighty deep. You cannot fail to realize the 
healing and soothing influence of the united 
mental power of this body of earnest men and 



124 Hermaphro- Deity : 

women, all united as one in the thought of love 
and good will toward all men. 

No one can ever step upon this plantation 
without being benefited, or as in most instances 
wholly healed. 

We all know that Thoughts are Things, and 
that to think in the line of good — to think 
God's thoughts — steadily, unwaveringly and 
hopefully, is to make tangible those thoughts. 
This, that we call thinking, has always been, and 
still is, by the majority of people called prayer. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 



125 



"There are good spirits and spirits of evil; planetary 
spirits and angels. There are the spirits of the four ele- 
ments, and there are many thousand different kinds. 

"A person without any self-knowledge or self-control 
is made to act according to the will of these creatures; 
but the true philosopher acts according to the will of the 
Supreme, the Creator, in him. 

"The four classes of nature spirits do not mix with 
each other. * * * They live in the four elements. * * * 
The Elementals have no higher principles. They are 
therefore not immortal. * * * They have only animal 
intellects, and are incapable of spiritual development. 



"As far as the personalities of the Elementals are con- 
cerned, it may be said that those belonging to the ele- 
ment of water resemble human beings. * * * Those 
of the air are greater and stronger. * * * The spirits of 
fire — the salamanders — are long and lean. * * * The 
pigmies are the spirits of the earth and are of the length of 
about two spans." 

— Paracelsus. 



12 6 Hermaphro-Deity : 

This morning, at the close of the lesson, as the 
students dispersed, going their several ways, An- 
nie joined me, slipping her arm through mine in 
a confidential manner whispered, "Now I know 
why I never could have that San Francisco 
woman come near me; I always feel when near 
her as if I am being rubbed down with sand- 
paper — or rubbed up, I don't know which. Then 
she dresses so horridly. I told Sister Alicia to 
seat her next to you, because you don't know 
enough to notice people's disagreeable looks and 
rasping auras." 

"Oh! don't I; I am greatly obliged to you 
for your good opinion," I snapped out. "It is 
barely possible that both the woman and myself 
might have had some choice in the matter had 
we been consulted. The Sister seated the 
stranger next to me, saying that she would ex- 
plain later. But I wish to remark to you, my 
friend, that I have never been harmed by my 
contact with that 'San Francisco woman,' as you 
call her. She has taught me some valuable les- 
sons, as have some others thac I could mention." 
Here I looked at her sharply. 

"Now don't be angry with me," she said, 
snuggling up to me and hanging on to me with 
both hands. "You know, dear," she said, look- 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 127 

ing up into my face with a childlike smile most 
exasperating, "that we cannot be angry up here 
on account of our Spirits; you must remember 
what Father Hyacinth said about angry pas- 
sions." 

'True! true! But did he say something about 
disgust?" I replied. "I am simply disgusted with 
your style. You see, Annie," I continued, 
"since that morning that Sister Alicia seated 
that woman near me, taking her away from your 
side, I have studied her very closely to see if I 
could find out why the change was made. I have 
discovered that she is very finely educated, and 
unusually considerate of the rights and feelings 
of others. I have never seen her do a selfish act. 
I have grown to esteem her highly; and John 
says that she is an 'Advanced Thinker.' I do 
not know exactly what he means by that, but 
something good, I know. And, my dear, I 
think that she can instruct us both in many 
things good for us to know, even if she does 
wear ugly dresses." 

Annie was silent for some moments, not look- 
ing up, but digging up the soil with the toe of 
Tier boot. 

At length she said, "But don't you believe 
that certain individuals exhale a poisonous at- 
mosphere, and that some are actually surround- 



128 Hermaphro- Deity : 

ed by evil spirits? You remember in the lesson 
last evening, concerning Mary Magdalene, it 
appears that she kept seven devils on hand all 
the time, at one period of her experience. I be- 
lieve every word that Father Hyacinth said this 
morning," turning and looking me full in the 
face. "I should think you would understand the 
thing by this time." 

"I do," I replied, "believe every word of it. 
I feel sure that there are devils hanging about 
people, as in the days of Mary Magdalene, and 
that some must have unholy and unclean atmos- 
pheres. But there it is again; Brother Paul told 
me this morning that we couldn't safely judge 
another without convicting ourselves, that we can 
never see in another what we have not experi- 
enced ourselves; in fact, we could not see a 
devil in another without having known how it 
was ourselves." 

We walked on in silence for some minutes. I 
asking my soul how much of the law of Love I 
had exemplified in my morning's work, and I 
thought, 

"Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet. 
Lest we forget — 
Lest we forget!" 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 129 

Here Annie squared herself around, and tak- 
ing my face between her two hands, looked me 
straight in the eyes for a minute, at last she said, 
"Elizabeth, you are correct; I have the devil in 
me sometimes I know, but I don't want to be 
bad. I am going to ask Father Hyacinth to try 
and regenerate me. He says it can be done if I 
will only give myself up to the Spirit. Now what 
does he mean? You think I have too many 
Spirits already, don't you?" 

"It all depends upon what sort you give your- 
self up to," I answered, as we entered the spa- 
cious dining room, and took in, not only the de- 
licious fragrance of the fruit and flowers, but the 
mental and spiritual aura of the noble souls there 
assembled. 

Annie pressed close to me and whispered, "I 
never felt it before!" 



130 Hermaphro- Deity : 



CHAPTER V. 

Benares, California, May 18th. 

As I carefully note the perfect system gov- 
erning this colony, the great amount of labor ac- 
complished, and the ease and perfection with 
which it is done; the unfailing consideration, 
love and devotion manifested among the mem- 
bers; the absolute liberty granted to all, I am led 
to the conclusion that this is a practical demon- 
stration of an ideal brotherhood. 

At first the teachings of Father Hyacinth did 
not appeal to me; they were so new, and so un- 
like anything that I had ever heard or read of, 
but gradually they began to assume some form 
and proportion, until now it seems to me that I 
have known all of these things somewhere be- 
fore. Where previously I had been an incessant 
talker all my life, I have now grown more re- 
served, silent and eager to hear and observe. 
As I take a retrospect of my past life it all ap- 
pears so utterly empty and foolish that I am led 
to wonder how John could ever have been so 
patient and gentle with me. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 131 

This is such a beautiful world up here. The 
grand mountain scenery, the highly cultivated 
valley, the symmetrical and artistic buildings, 
the color and harmony, all go to delight the 
lover of the beautiful. Everything is done with 
an eye to beauty as well as utility. 

Annie and I have asked the privilege of oc- 
casionally accompanying the Brothers and Sis- 
ters in their rounds of duty; in the orchards 
with the fruit pickers, in the store rooms where 
the delicious and perfect fruit is assorted and 
crated and made ready for shipping. Annie 
declares that she knows the fruit up in that old 
garden, which Eve made such a blunder over, 
wasn't any nicer than the car loads that are daily 
shipped from this plantation. 

Brother Paul has a way of looking at the girl 
when she gets on her talking moods that tones 
her down, especially when he asks her, in his 
slow way, if she isn't afraid that she is talking too 
much. She never knows how to talk back to 
him. Nearly everyone else gets a touch of her 
wit or sarcasm, but just one glance from that 
man is enough to, at least, change the nature of 
her talk; yet his marvelous eyes cheer, comfort 
and strengthen whenever occasion calls. Brother 
Paul is a study. He is altogether lovely — if one 



132 Hermaphro Deity ; 

can safely say that of a masculine member of the 
human family. 

But then the entire association manifests that 
same peculiarity; a species of reserve power that 
is felt at once upon entering the presence of any 
members of the family. There is something so 
sweet and attractive about them that you in- 
stinctively want to turn and follow them as they 
are passing you in their round of duty. This pe- 
culiar attractiveness is universal with all; it is 
something that I have never sensed in any other 
body of people I ever came in contact with. I 
have on rare occasions met an individual possess- 
ing such power, but not perhaps more than one 
out of a thousand. 

I mentioned this singular fact to Brother 
Frederick, and after studying me intently for a 
time, he said that I would understand the secret 
of all this later on, but that one cause of the 
serenity and cheerfulness characterizing the 
whole colony was because they were non-flesh- 
eating. 

"YVe consider," he continued, "that the con- 
sumption of large quantities of oft times 
diseased flesh must cause, to some degree, 
a putrescent state of the blood in the human 
being, giving rise to that offensive odor which is 
constantly being exhaled from the body, also 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 133 

causing that irritability and violence of temper 
so common in the world." 

Here Annie nudged me, and whispered, "Now 
I understand why I am becoming such an angel; 
it is because I don't eat meat." 

This morning while out walking we stopped 
and watched the Brothers as they were turning 
on the water to irrigate the valley. I asked one 
of them, who was standing near me. if they ever 
had any kind of sickness in the colony. 

"No; why should we?" he answered. 

"Don't all people get sick sometimes?" I ask- 
ed. 

"Well, we do not believe in it; we never speak 
the word. We deny that there is such a thing in 
reality. We never think of such things; never 
talk about them. There is so much that is good 
and lovely crowded in upon us, that we have no 
time to think of anything that is not Good. We 
constantly deny all that you name Evil; and 
what we do not desire we simply decline." 

-Here Annie, who was standing with open eyes 
and mouth, asked, "Why! do you never expect 
to get sick up here? and never expect to die?" 

"We all expect to pass through that change 
which you people talk of so much and call 
death," answered the Brother gently, "but we do 
not expect sickness, neither will we have it." 



134 Her maphro- Deity : 

"Now that reminds me of something," cried 
Annie; "I have not seen anything like a burial 
ground or vault. What do you do with your 
people when they 'pass out,' as you call it?" 

"Cremation is our method of disposing of the 
remains of both the human and the animal," the 
Brother replied. 

"Worse and worse!" exclaimed Annie, turn- 
ing abruptly and walking away hurriedly. 

"Do you know," she said, as I joined her a 
few moments later, "that these people are regu- 
lar heathens!" 

"I wish there were more like them; the world 
would be the better, I am sure," I replied. 

We walked along in silence for some moments 
until we came to the entrance of their immense 
apiary, which was under the care of six of the 
Sisters. Sister Alicia was about to enter, so she 
invited us to go in with her. 

This branch of their industry is intensely in- 
teresting. The study of bee life and intelligence 
possesses a greater fascination to me than any 
other department in this colossal enterprise. I 
need not enlarge upon the beauty and excellence 
of their product, as everyone is familiar with the 
fame of California honey. 

In my eagerness to study the working of the 
colonies of bees about to swarm. I had forgotten 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 135 

all about Annie. When I began to look about 
for her, one of the Sisters said laughingly, "Oh! 
she made her escape long ago. Strangers rarely 
dare to come in among the hives, especially dur- 
ing their swarming season. Bees are very sensi- 
tive to odors and auras. They don't appear to 
mind you however." 

When I reached the Home I found Annie, 
with a flushed face, laying down the law to one 
of the Brothers who was cleaning the porches. 
As I came up she turned, blazing with 
anger, and shaking her small fist at me, cried 
out, "You must have been in a bad way for en- 
tertainment to go in among those little wretches. 
Just look at my hand! I'll never touch another 
drop of honey as long as I live. I'll kill every 
bee that I can get at; the horrid things!" 

"I am sorry for that, for really honey is a 
large part of our living," said a low voice near 
by. 

We turned and there stood Brother Paul and 
John. I did not look in the face of either of the 
men, for I was just ready to cry myself for hav- 
ing taken the child into danger; but Annie walk- 
ed straight up to John and laid her wounded 
hand into his great strong one. 

He did not say anything for some moments, 
but just passed his soft magnetic fingers over the 



136 Hermaphro- Deity : 

swollen parts. At last he said, "Don't you see, 
dear, that it is nothing to lose one's temper 
over? don't you see that the whole thing is 
gone?" Sure enough, the swelling had nearly 
disappeared. 

I now looked up at Brother Paul. He was 
simply looking at the girl, and she had quieted 
down and was smiling, quite her old self again. 

As I looked at the group standing silent and 
motionless, I recalled to mind many things I had 
seen John do at home, and had considered it all 
nonsense; now I could not deny the fact that a 
great change had come over Annie, and that her 
hand appeared to be all right, as far as I could 
see. At all events, from a state of uncontrollable 
anger, she had passed into one of peace and 
serenity, all in the space of a few moments; an 
unusual thing for her. Generally in her fits she 
kicked and floundered around for an hour or 
two, until I could in some way pacify her; after 
which she would be so sweet and charming and 
altogether lovely that one would forget how 
confoundedly disagreeable she had been. 

I slyly stole away out of sight, for I felt that it 
was a scene too sacred for an outsider to intrude 
upon. Then, too, I considered myself in fault 
somehow for the unpleasant affair, and now. as 
I wandered off under the shadow of the great 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 137 

trees I kept asking myself, "How is it done? Do 
they do it, or is it because she behaves herself?" 
Then I recalled how Christ stilled the tempest, 
cast out devils, healed the sick, gave sight to the 
blind, etc. "}Yes," I thought, "but He was 
Christ. Can those things be done in these days 
by human beings?" 

I took my pocket Testament out and opened 
it; and the first thing I found rather startled me, 
it was this: "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and 
commanded them, saying, Go, heal the sick, 
cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out dev- 
ils." These men were as common and earth- 
ly as any we have in these days, it seems to me. 
I thought of John, and Brother Paul, and, good- 
ness! there is Father Hyacinth; to say nothing 
of the rest of these honest, earnest men and 
women who are trying so hard to follow Christ's 
law. 

I pondered over this matter long and earnest- 
ly, hidden away as I was out of sight of human- 
ity. It was hard to accept the idea that those 
two men possessed some power for good over 
that wayward girl that I did not. "If they can 
do it, I don't see why I can't," I muttered to 
myself. 

Then I opened my Testament again, and pres- 
ently I came on this passage: "Indeed, I assure 



138 Hermaphro- Deity : 

you, he believing on me, the works which I do, 
shall he do also; and greater than these shall he 
do. And whatever you may ask in my name, 
that will I do." 

"I think I understand how the thing is done," 
I said aloud, as I rose and started homeward, 
reaching the Home just as the family was being 
seated at the dinner table. 

Annie looked supremely happy, seated next to 
John, presenting no vestage of the mental cy- 
clone that had so lately wrenched and distorted 
her. 

Brother Rameses, seeing that I was alone, 
beckoned me to a seat next to him, which I glad- 
ly accepted, feeling at once rested and comforted. 
This man is no talker, unless he has something 
to say, but he can quote poetry day in and day 
out. I cannot say that I care for poetry as a 
general thing. As I, from time to time, looked 
up to the grave face, with its clean shaven, 
square cut chin, clear, honest blue eyes, and mas- 
sive brows shaded by a wealth of yellow hair, a 
kind of an awe crept over me; I almost wished 
he wasn't so solid, wasn't so awfully good. 

Presently he turned and looked down at me. 
saying, "Had rather an interesting episode this 
morning:, eh?" 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 139 

I knew he had reference to the bee tragedy, so 
I never answered. 

Then he let out on his poetry. 

"A fool there was, and he made his prayer 

(Even as you and I!) 
To a rag and a bone and a hank of hair, 
We called her the woman, who did not care 
But the fool, he called her his lady fair 

(Even as you and I)" * 

"Oh, the years we waste and the tears we waste, 
And the work of our head and hand 
Belong to the woman who did not know 
And now we know, that she never could know 
And did not understand." * 

We sat long in silence, until I began to boil 
inwardly. "Well, that is not very interesting — 
not much poetry in that," I blurted out. It al- 
ways made me savage to hear a man say any- 
thing in a slighting way concerning a woman, 
no matter what I might think or know. 

"Why! that is an effusion of the prospective 
poet-laureate of England," said Rameses, after 
a silence, as he peeled and quartered a luscious 
orange and laid it on my plate. 

* Kipling. 



140 Hermaphro- Deity : 

I was silent during the remainder of the meal, 
but I could see that the man was studying me, 
and could feel a thrill go all over me — a new sen- 
sation to me, and one that I did not understand. 

As we arose from the table Father Hyacinth 
came forward to where we were, and said to 
Rameses, ''I would like to speak with you for a 
few moments if you are at liberty." 

My companion excused himself, and bowing 
to me with a stately dignity passed on out of 
sight. 

I walked out on the lawn in a brown 
study. I was really a little anxious concerning 
my sentiments regarding that yellow-haired 
Austrian. There are some things about these 
men up here that one likes awfully well; and 
some things that you don't like at all. I must 
talk with John about it. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius, 141 



"This visible universe is composed of invisible non- 
contiguous atoms; it rests on space, but the ruling forces 
themselves are immaterial and invisible. Seek matter and 
you will not find it; it is mirage that recedes as you ad- 
vance; it is a shadow that vanishes each time you think 
to seize it.*' 

— Camille Flammarion. 



142 Hermaphro- Deity 



FIFTH LESSON. 

COSMIC LIFE. 

The object of urging this ponderous subject 
upon the attention of this class is not merely 
for the pleasure which the knowledge brings for 
the time, but for the important influence which 
an understanding of and an obedience to the 
divine law must exert upon the life and character 
of the individual; and really not alone upon the 
individual man, but upon all manifested life. In- 
asmuch as man, through his transgression, caused 
all the disasters that now curse the race and the 
planet, it devolves upon him to adjust those dis- 
jointed conditions in the lower kingdoms; as 
the healing of the low fierce brute life, and 
the diseased vegetable world, can come only 
through redeemed humanity. 

Paul appears to have had a perfect under- 
standing of this great truth. He says: 

"Indeed the earnest expectation of creation 
longs for the revelation of the 'Sons of God.' 
For the creation was made subject to frailty. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 143 

* * * in the hope that even the creation 
itself will become emancipated from the slavery 
of corruption into the freedom of the glory of 
the children of God. 

''For we know that the whole creation groan- 
eth and travaileth in pain together till the 
present time. 

"For the creation was made subject to frailty." 

This idea will not appear so strange and un- 
reasonable when we understand the nature of 
the Life principle of the universe, which is not a 
structureless substance, an invisible nothing, but 
a vast ocean of infinitesimal atoms, each possess- 
ing in itself a power of expansion too mighty for 
the human mind to comprehend. 

In the original and perfect state, this cosmic 
Substance surrounding our planet was com- 
posed, as we have seen, of atoms, each of which 
was double, possessing two distinct lives, male 
and female, in one atom, — the divine marriage. 
So that everything created of, or growing out of, 
this great body of Life was dual, until the sex sin 
came. 

Those tiny bodies compose that shoreless sea 
of Substance — for it is substance — from which is 
evolved all objective life; and into that great 
reservoir of exhaustless Substance these atoms 



144 Hermaphro- Deity : 

return, to be again and again called out to form 
new and more beautiful objects. 

There is but one Substance, from which is 
created all of the changing forms which men 
have named Matter. 



"Because everything exists from the beginning in God, 
into whose unmanifested state all things will return. * * 
* * There is no death in nature, and the dying of the 
beings consists in their return to the body of their 
Mother. That is to say, in an extinction and suppression 
of one form of existence and activity, in a re-birth of the 
same thing * * * in a new form, possessed of new 
faculties that are adapted to its new surroundings." 

— Paracelsus. 



This Substance, like its Infinite Source, is death- 
less. Those appearances which men have named 
Death and Decay are not in the Substance itself, 
but are merely dissolving views of the forms 
and shapes fashioned from it. 

Its fixed character for the time has been 
changed, so that there exists in all visible things 
a restlessness, a constant impulse toward 
change. The atoms still feel the stress of the 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 145 

divine law of duality that once ruled them, and 
are therefore moving hither and thither, seeking 
and desiring the divine union again. This con- 
dition causes that nameless longing and con- 
stant desire for change that marks the character 
of the race today, and which might be classed as 
a species of insanity. 

Prof. F. R. Japp, one of the foremost scien- 
tists of the world, in his address before the chem- 
ical section of the British Association, his subject 
being, "The Life resident in the Atomic Sub- 
stance; the Ceaseless Activity of the Atoms; 
their Attraction and Repulsion," said, "The ab- 
solute origin of the compounds of one-sided 
asymmetry to be found in the living world is a 
mystery as profound as the absolute origin of 
life itself." 

"An asymmetric compound is one which is 
not complete and evenly balanced, and which, 
because of its incompleteness, seeks to ally itself 
with its chemical affinity and therefore contin- 
ues in a condition of restless activity." * 

Through the infusion of the virus of the ani- 
mal sex-life into the atomic Substance there 
came a violent shock, the wrenching asunder of 

* The Pantheism of Modern Science. 



146 Hermaphro- Deity : 

that holy union in the atoms; so that instead of 
there being in one atom two nucleoli or germs, 
there is now but a single germ in each, a male or 
female, as the case may be; a negative or posi- 
tive, as the scientist terms them. There is now 
a constant warfare in that portion of the 
substance that goes to make up man and his 
planet; his Substance of Life has lost its stead- 
fastness, has come under the law of limitation — 
a man-made law. 

Although this Substance received a shock that 
has changed its action, it is still indestructible 
and redeemable. 

The violation of the spiritual law of reproduc- 
tion of the human family, and the externalization 
of the sex-life on the animal plane, produced a 
marked change in all of the kingdoms of the 
earth, and upon the body of the planet itself. 
"The earth is also defiled under the inhabitants 
thereof; because they have transgressed the law, 
broken the everlasting covenant." 

Before man broke that law, the vegetable 
world was without disease or blight. Those ani- 
mals that are now so destructive to all forms of 
life were then unknown; there was nothing to 
hurt or make afraid. But when he disobeyed 
and "ate of that tree of the knowledge of good 



The Mystery of Divine Genius, 147 

and evil," then began his degeneracy and the in- 
fusing of that lust-poison into the Life Substance 
enveloping our planet. 

"Cursed is the ground for thy sake; * * * 
thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to 
thee." This was not a curse, for divine love 
cannot curse. . It was a prophecy. A divine law 
had been broken and there is no forgiveness of 
sin. 

"Thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that 
thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Not 
to die, as we know death, but the sowing of the 
seed of decay, dissolution and discord. 
The larger portion of the earth's surface 
is at this time a barren waste; nay, worse 
than that! it is in a condition that breeds suffer- 
ing and death to the thousands who are forced 
to inhabit it. "Cursed is the ground for thy sake, 
in sorrow shalt thou eat of it." 

Every atom composing the vast sea of Life is 
sentient. Each recognizes and responds to 
each. Man is an aggregation of these atoms; 
he vitally influences the whole mass surrounding 
him; his thoughts act upon this sea of Life as a 
solid and foreign substance would upon a body 
of water. If a pebble be thrown into a placid 
lake it will agitate the entire body to its extreme 



148 Hermapliro-Deity : 

limit, every molecule feeling the vibration. The 
more powerful the disturbing influence, the 
greater the agitation. 

The great atomic sea of Life is One, and the 
thoughts of intelligent beings strongly influences 
the responsive medium for good or evil. All be- 
ligerent thoughts, evil and brutal passions, dis- 
turb that spiritual atmosphere so that equili- 
brium is lost, the vibrations become irregular 
and at times violent. 

It appears evident enough from the study of 
all ancient religious history, to say nothing of 
proofs of geology, that our planet has, at one 
time, received a terrible shock, and that the orbit 
of the earth has been changed from interstellar 
space to its present position. We need only to 
bear in mind that worlds are not stationary, but 
float upon an elastic sea. whose Substance re- 
sponds to the thoughts of God-created beings. 
There can be no question but that our planet, 
from its weight of crime, bloodshed and wrong, 
has sunk in space, as a stone would sink in water; 
and through the united weight of the rebellious 
mind of the race swung gradually out of its 
original orbit, and away from the great Central 
Sun of the universe. 

Those terrific mental cyclones that have swept 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 149 

the face of the globe from age to age certainly 
must have influenced adversely its position and 
motion on that shoreless and responsive ocean. 

Attraction and repulsion are the two great 
motive powers of the universe. 

We will not forget that Mind is the creative 
power. Certain states of mind are repellent and 
destructive. Denial of God and the Good is a 
form of blasphemy. At all times, the spirit of 
hatred expressed, it matters not toward whom, 
has the power to repel, to drive from the Good. 
All selfishness, denial of the Christ, hatred of our 
kind, anger and jealousy, has a tendency to drive 
us still further from that Central Life — our 
source. Denial is death — repulsion. While on 
the other hand all affirmations for the Good; 
love for man, and all that lives; adoration for the 
divine Source of Life; obedience to the Christ, 
to love as He loved, is the positive magnet that 
will attract all toward the light. 

When we take into consideration the fact that 
at one period of the world's history evil reigned 
supreme, the whole race being in darkness, it 
will not appear so unreasonable or strange that 
the united sins of blasphemous people could 
cause our world to fall from its high estate. 



150 Hermaphro-Deity : 

From time immemorial, men have preached 
about the "fall of man," but have never said any- 
thing about the "fallen world;" yet the world re- 
ceived its due share of the curse. 

"God saw everything that He had made, and 
behold it was very good." We have perfect faith 
that God never made a mistake; never made a 
botch. It is not consistent with divine wisdom, 
harmony, justice, or love, that He should have 
created so imperfect a piece of work as our planet 
and its inhabitants. That He should have thrown 
us off in this isolated corner of the universe with 
no near companions, save a dead moon and a 
rapidly consuming sun; when there appear 
be a region of space filled with myriads of glow- 
ing suns, a great pathway of eternal day, where 
there must be light and warmth and consequent 
happiness. Darkness and cold is where God is 
not, and brings to man his greatest suffering. 

Neither can I believe that the divine Architect 
ever left our globe so tipped upon its axis that 
so large a portion of its habitable surface is be- 
yond the reach of warmth, light and comfort. 
While we — in this so-called garden of the 
world — are in darkness half of the twenty-four 
hours which constitutes our day; a period dur- 
ing which are perpetrated the vilest and most 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 151 

diabolical of crimes, that daily shock the reading 
public. 

And God said, "Let there be light." God the 
infinite Lover, the infinite Good, never created 
anything adverse to Himself. He is love, light, 
fire and eternal life. Cold and darkness come 
from man's denial of God, and resistance of the 
Good. 

Our planet in its first estate, doubtless, was 
one of that mighty procession of suns in what we 
call the Milky Way, up toward which we gaze 
night after night with deep reverence and much 
questioning. 

But we are told that there was war in heaven. 
"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, 
son of the morning!" The disobedience, crime, 
cruelty and bloodshed of mankind acted as a re- 
pelling force, causing our planet to sink from 
that belt of light, heat and love, down to its pres- 
ent level. 

It all came through the law of repulsion. 
Good does not love Evil, and Evil hates Good. 
There was, therefore, a mutual repulsion. Noth- 
ing has occurred outside of a fixed and unyield- 
ing law, and wholly in harmony with divine 
dynamics. 



152 Hermaphro Deity ; 

From our sacred history we glean the follow- 
ing, all going to substantiate our claim. 

"For behold, the Lord cometh out of his place 
to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their 
iniquity. The earth also shall disclose her blood, 
and shall no more cover her slain. 

"I will punish the world for their evil. * * * 
Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the 
earth shall remove out of her place. 

"Behold the Lord maketh the earth empty 
and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down. 

"The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunk- 
ard. 

"The earth is utterly broken down. * * * 
The earth is moved exceedingly. * * * * 
And shall be removed like a cottage; and the 
transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and 
it shall fall. 

"The land shall be utterly emptied, and utter- 
ly spoiled, for the Lord hath spoken this word. 
* * * * Upon the land of my people shall 
come up thorns and briers." 

Life would be utterly bereft of its incentive 
were we not assured that the Good is an eternal 
principle, and Evil but a passing dream, a night- 
mare, a mirage. 

AYe are promised a divine panacea for the 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 153 

transient malady now torturing the soul Sub- 
stance of things. "And the inhabitants shall not 
say, I am sick, * * * for the Lord is our 
judge, the Lord is our law-giver, the Lord is our 
King; He will save us." 

Our Lord came not alone to heal the sick soul 
of things; but to establish an electric chain be- 
tween our planet and the Central Sun of our 
system, to assist in attracting the globe into its 
original position and place in that "Home of the 
many Mansions" in that pathway of light. 

We with our darkened vision cannot see that 
wondrous chain of light over which, passing and 
re-passing, are hosts of angelic beings, who, with 
Christ's love in their souls, are aiding in the work 
of redeeming man and his disjointed world. 
Ages ago, Jacob, on his pillow of stone, saw in 
a vision that ladder of light let down amid the 
blackness. 

Christ said, "I say unto you, that hereafter 
you shall see the heavens open, and the angels 
of God ascending and descending to the Son of 
man." 

There are now a few advanced minds investi- 
gating this science, and who understand the al- 
mighty force resident in atomic Life. This force 
— or power — under the control of the divine 



154 HermaphrO'Deity : 

Mind in man, supported by the will, could sway 
a planet in its course, as wind can a thistle- 
down. 

I have perfect confidence in the lessons of my 
Master and Teacher. He said, "He that be- 
lieveth on Me, the works that I do shall he do 
also; and greater works than these shall he do. 
* * * If y OU should say to this mountain, 
Be thou lifted up and thrown into the sea; it 
will be done. And whatever you shall ask in 
prayer, believing, you will receive." 

Prayer, we understand, is nothing but an earn- 
est desire. The time is not distant when men 
and women, wise, just and Godly, mighty in 
thought and will, having a practical knowledge 
of this unseen power, can employ it for the rein- 
statement of human affairs in our world; just as 
readily as men, who have come into an under- 
standing of electricity can utilize that subtle 
power for the benefit of mankind. 

"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall 
make you free.'' 

What is this truth? Is it not the secret of this 
Life Substance of which we have been speaking, 
and our intimate relation to it? All Life is One, 
and we have each done our share in the degrad- 
ation of the whole. We are therefore called upon 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 155 

individually to assist in this wonderful work of 
restoration. 

What are we to do in a work so mighty, and 
we so weak? 

Are we weak? We have for our central force 
the Christ-Mind, the God within us. From 
that source our thoughts are deathless, and we 
impress for Good the ocean of ether in which we 
exist. He who thinks a loving thought has 
lightened the burden of the world. 

Divine Love, like divine Life, is a Substance; 
it enters into the ocean of life and heals the 
wound of sins; it unites the severed lives in the 
atoms. 

Christ was the Substance of Love itself. We 
are His children; His helpers. We are to es- 
tablish on earth that "kingdom of Good," — the 
kingdom of divine Love. Our thoughts must 
be as grappling irons thrown out to anchor and 
steady our world in her erratic and troubled 
homeward journey. 

The millennial dawn may not be as distant as 
we are disposed to think, when we take into con- 
sideration the marvelous speed in the movement 
of our entire planetary system; and understand 
that all of the starry hosts are being whirled 



156 Hermaphro- Deity : 

through space toward some great center at a 
speed incomprehensible to the human mind. 

During the past century, yes. during the last 
decade, man has demonstrated fully his power 
for good over the earth's surface; making the 
"waste places blossom like the rose." The earth 
materializes the thoughts of mankind, be they 
what they may. 

Not only is man subduing the surface of the 
globe, but he is learning to master the secret 
forces as well. These demonstrations are all in 
their infancy; yet they substantiate our appar- 
ently extravagant claims for the race. 

We can now dimly comprehend the meaning 
of that promise: 

"They shall not hurt, nor destroy, in all my 
holy mountains; for the earth shall be full of the 
knowledge of the Lord, as water covereth the 
deep." 

"All things that my Father hath are mine, 
nothing shall wrest them from Me." "I am the 
light of the world." "These things I command 
you; that you love one another." 

And this divine Lover of Souls has instructed 
me that I am my brother's keeper, and that my 
brother is to be as dear to me as myself; in fact, 
that I must give myself for his good if required; 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 157 

and that all men of whatever grade, color, con- 
dition or clime are my brethren. 

He has also in His tender love told me that I 
must keep watch for the returning prodigal, and 
that when I see him afar off, that I must hasten 
to meet him, lest he think himself unwelcome 
and turn back. 

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; 
for the first heaven and the first earth were pass- 
ed away; and there was no more sea. 

"And I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusa- 
lem, coming down from God out of heaven, pre- 
pared as a bride adorned for her husband. And 
I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, "Be- 
hold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He 
will dwell with them, and they shall be His 
people, and God himself shall be with them, and 
be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears 
from their eyes; and there shall be no more 
death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall 
there be any more pain, for the former things 
are passed away. 

"And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, 
I make all things new. And He said unto me. 
Write, for these words are true and faithful. 

"And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha 



158 Hermaphro- Deity : 

and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will 
give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of 
the water of life freely. He that overcometh, 
shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, 
and he shall be my son/' 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 159 



CHAPTER VI. 

Benares, California, June 2d. 

Today, thirteen persons, old and young, male 
and female, came to the Home on the eleven 
o'clock train. So quietly is everything conduct- 
ed in this institution that no one outside of the 
regular family knew anything of the matter; so 
that we visitors were quite excited over the ar- 
rivals. 

As Angela and I were watching the new com- 
ers file up the steps and enter the hall, we hailed 
Sister Alicia, who was passing near where we 
were seated, and asked her what she was going 
to do with her new recruits. 

"Come with me, and see for yourselves," she 
answered, looking back over her shoulder smil- 
ing and showing her white teeth and dimples. 

We followed her upstairs and through a set of 
hallways entirely new to us, as we had never in- 
vestigated that wing of the Home building. 

"We have four hundred available sleeping 



160 Hermaphro- Deity : 

rooms in this city," she said, with an air of satis- 
faction; "and every one of them comfortably if 
not handsomely furnished; quite as much so as 
these," opening a door into a suite of large, airy 
rooms, all tastefully and artistically furnished, 
and immaculately clean. "We are never taken 
by surprise up here; we keep 'open house' at all 
times, and many of those who have been called 
'tramps' find their way to us. I may say all of 
whom stay with us permanently, trusted and be- 
loved. We have in our brotherhood members 
from almost every civilized nation on the globe." 

"I suppose you must have suitable rooms for 
your working people and tramps," I suggested, 
as we inspected suites of really handsome rooms 
with their polished floors and large windows. 

The Sister was silent for a moment, then in her 
quiet impressive way said, "We make no distinc- 
tion here; our 'working people.' as you call them, 
are all equal, we have no grades; if we ever show 
any preference it is toward those who have been 
unfortunate in some way. As for our 'tramps/ 
we should not do better by royalty. We desire 
to make them forget all past grades and misfor- 
tunes; and we succeed usual! v." 

There was something in her quiet tone and 
manner that humbled me. and started me on a 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 161 

train of thought not altogether flattering to my 
self-love. And as she and Angela walked on in 
advance of me, talking over the arrangement of 
the buildings, I followed slowly, thinking of 
tramp life, and not feeling quite comfortable, not 
knowing in fact who my near neighbors might 
be. 

Then I recalled the history and nature of that 
tramp which the dear old bishop put into the 
spare bed room; and I remembered the silver 
candle-sticks, and all that grew out of the bish- 
op's kindness, confidence and patience toward 
that despised and hunted convict; the influence 
for good on all the after life of that brutal tramp. 
And as I thought of Him who ate with publicans 
and sinners and was not harmed; who labored 
among the down-trodden and sinful in order to 
elevate and save; there came to me a dim con- 
sciousness of the oneness of humanity. I re- 
called all of John's schemes and exploits with 
tramps, depraved and outcasts of all creation. I 
remembered how I had ridiculed and abused him 
for his patience and confidence toward what I 
had considered and termed the "rough scuffs" 
of all creation. Now there was unrolled before 
me a picture of the vast multitudes of the friend- 
less, homeless and outcast of the human family, 



162 Hermaphro-Deity : 

and I saw walking in advance of that multitude 
that One, who said, "Inasmuch as you do it unto 
the least of these, you have done it unto me." 
Then came over me such a wave of compassion 
that for a moment I was stunned; I had never 
realized before that so large a majority of the 
race were among those "little ones." 

This new question must have impressed itself 
in a degree upon my face, for when I came up to 
where Sister Alicia and Angela were awaiting 
me they both looked at me sharply, and Angela 
passing her arm about me smilingly said, "Of 
one blood made He all, my dear." 

We now entered a suite of rooms which Sister 
Alicia had selected for a party. She informed us 
that four out of the party of thirteen — two gen- 
tlemen and two ladies — were from England, and 
were of English aristocracy: Sir Anthony West- 
lake, his wife and daughter, and Sir Charles 
Westlake, Sir Anthony's brother. The remain- 
ing party were from San Francisco, and were 
friends of the "San Francisco woman." as Annie 
called her. They consisted of two gentlemen 
and their wives, and five single ladies. 

"These people who come in on trial, do the 
husbands and wives live in the old relations," 
asked Angela. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 163 

"No," Sister Alicia answered; "they conform 
to our rules in regard to those relations, and if at 
the close of their season of trial they should not 
consider themselves ready to adopt the perman- 
ent life of celibacy, they return to their homes, 
none the worse for their sojourn with us. But 
in the experience of half a century there have 
been but two cases where the parties have deem- 
ed it best to renew their old relations. ,, 

At dinner the English party was seated at our 
table, and next to Angela. It appears they had 
been many years in India, in the same section 
where Angela spent so much time. They were 
familiar with all the occult philosophies, and had 
made a thorough study of Theosophy. This fact 
at once made a tie between the party and An- 
gela. The young baronet and John fairly tum- 
bled into each other's affections. We were all 
refreshed by the new element coming in. 

Annie whispered to me, as we were leaving 
the dining room, "I am going to set my cap for 
that young lord. He is a 'catch/ and I am amaz- 
ingly fond of lords." 

"I trust that you will behave with becoming 
dignity," I said, looking at her soberly. 

"I could not do otherwise, with you as my ex- 
ample," she replied meekly. 



164 Hermaphro- Deity ; 

The most delightful occasion of the day is the 
reunion on the lawn after the evening meal; the 
entire family gathers, forming an altogether 
unique group, charming beyond anything that 
could be imagined. 

Supper is served promptly at five o'clock; then 
while the Sisters are arranging domestic mat- 
ters in the house, the Brothers are milking, strain- 
ing the milk, putting it in the coolers, and taking 
care of the stock; and by half past six the whole 
family, including the guests, are ready for the 
evening pastime, which consists of music, read- 
ing or speaking. As a rule, this gathering takes 
place on the lawn, as we never have rain here, 
and the air is so delightful. 

•From six until seven o'clock we are to have 
music this evening, furnished by Brother Rame- 
ses with his violin, and the Sisters with their 
stringed instruments. 

I find it impossible to describe the quality or 
the effect of the music in this strange out-of-the- 
way place, under those old red-wood trees, with 
the grand mountain scenery rising up beyond the 
reach of human vision as a back ground; then in 
front, stretching away as far as the eye can 
reach, the fertile valley, smooth and regular.with 
its various shades and colors, forming an extend- 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 165 

ed picture of rich fruitage, and all about the signs 
of high civilization without the slash and clang 
that accompanies it. As I sat entranced by the 
music and the scenery I questioned in my mind 
if they really had anything better on the planet 
Mars. 

In looking over the grounds while the people 
were seating themselves, I could not help noting 
the general air of cheerfulness and good humor 
pervading the whole assembly. I could not de- 
fine the difference between that gathering and 
hundreds of others that I had been in. There 
were over three hundred persons on the lawn, yet 
there was no noise or confusion; but instead a 
kind of subdued gayety, quite new to me; all of 
the faces shone with a species of good humor 
and good will toward each other. I had always 
been of the rollicking sort, and Annie even more 
so, when in her best moods. 

As I looked over the company, I espied Annie 
seated beside Sir Charles, deeply engaged in 
highly animated conversation. 

My attention was now drawn toward the stage 
by the arrival of Rameses and his troupe. 

As I sat, entranced by the music, in that most 
charming and secluded spot, having for my com- 
panions so many choice spirits, I in my own en- 



166 Her maphro- Deity : 

thusiastic way sent up a kind of petition that this 
curious people with their strange doctrines and 
wholesome and righteous living might become 
known and emulated by the world at large. 

It appears that Sir Anthony YVestlake had 
casually remarked to Brother Frederick that 
doubtless this fraternity would, in time, go the 
way of all similar institutions; so it had been 
considered wise that some one should explain 
briefly wherein this colony differed from all 
others that have risen and declined from time to 
time. Brother Rameses was chosen to make 
this explanation at the close of the concert. I 
was astonished beyond measure, as I had never 
heard that gigantic Australian utter a dozen 
words, except to recite poetry, at which he was 
an adept. 

I looked enquiringly at John, who nodded 
toward the man. as much as to say that he was 
all right. 

Rameses arose with a dignity and ease of man- 
ner rarely displayed by an occasional speak- 
er, and in a quiet deliberate way — in much the 
same manner as he draws his bow across his 
violin when he brings out such heavenlv music 
— he spoke as follows: 

"I have been asked to explain in few words the 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 167 

foundation principles of our fraternity. I have 
had a somewhat intimate acquaintance with 
many of the schools and fraternities that have 
sprung- up at different times in different coun- 
tries. From my early boyhood I had conceived 
of an ideal brotherhood, composed of both men 
and women on an equal footing; an institution 
that should be a school possessing all the facili- 
ties for a first class education, where those who 
had been neglected in their childhood could re- 
ceive a mental and physical training that would 
develop the best that was in them, regardless of 
sex, age, nationality or color. 

"I have entered many different fraternities, 
and after studying carefully their foundation 
tenets, have retired from them, having failed to 
find what I deemed to be the true foundation for 
a lasting corporation, that is self-governing and 
altruistic. All fraternities that I have come in 
contact with have been under the dominance of 
some strong leading spirit, who possessed both 
a mind and will of the strongest order, and who 
in many cases exerted a hypnotic influence over 
all that it came in contact with. All bodies thus 
governed endure but a brief season after the 
leading mind has been withdrawn. 

"This brotherhood has no leader. Never has 



168 Hermaphro- Deity : 

had one; at least, not in the form of man. We 
all remember that He whom we accept as our 
Leader and Counsellor, said, 'He that would be 
first among you, let him be last.' There is not 
one in this brotherhood that is esteemed above 
another. Every important move to be made is 
submitted to the whole body, male and female 
alike. There are those in the fraternity whose 
judgment we prize, and whose wisdom we re- 
vere, but such never attempt to lead. 

"When you take into consideration the fact 
that this city up here on the mountain side, with 
all of its grand and massive buildings so ex- 
quisitely finished, is entirely the work of the 
members of this brotherhood, you will be com- 
pelled to acknowledge that we have talent of a 
superior order among our members, much of 
which has been developed wholly in our schools. 

"Those members who have been deprived of 
opportunity for education in youth enter our 
schools as children, and are carefully taught and 
developed, so that there are none more highly 
favored than others. We have several hundred 
members in our colony, but there is not one who 
does not know every screw in this vast ma- 
chinery, and who would not be capable of com- 
ing to the front if need be. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 169 

"Men and women to enter this colony must 
become capable. It is an educational institu- 
tion; a great body of men and women who live 
up to wise and just principles; therefore it must 
continue, altruism being the foundation of the 
whole fabric. 

"But the most potent reason for the last- 
ing nature of this brotherhood is the position we 
give our women. We have equal suffrage here. 
We know that women are going to lead in all 
works of reform. Woman has never lost her 
stamp of the Divine, therefore we place her fore- 
most in the ranks of honor. We venerate, and 
try to emulate her. We remember that she was 
the last to leave our Lord at His crucifixion, and 
the first to meet Him at His resurrection. We 
consider her the advance guard of the race, and 
if you watch carefully you will see that this is 
not all talk with us. We believe with our Ma- 
hatma, 'The word which shall come to save the 
world shall be uttered by a woman." 



170 Hermaphro- Deity : 

"But we speak the wisdom of God, which was hidden 
in a mystery, and which God previously designed, before 
the ages, for our glory. But wisdom, not of this age nor 
of those rulers of this age, who are coming to an end." 

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, 
but that Spirit which is from God, that we may know the 
things graciously given to us by God; and which things 
we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but the 
teachings of the Spirit; unfolding spiritual things." 

"Now the animal man does not receive the things of 
the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he 
is not able to understand, because they are spiritually 
examined." 

"But we possess the Mind of Christ." 

— I. Corinthians ii. 



"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath 
anointed me to proclaim glad tidings to the poor, He 
hath sent me to publish release to the captive and recovery 
of sight to the blind; to dispense freedom to the op- 
pressed, and proclaim an era of acceptance with the 

Lord." 

— Gospel of our Lord. 



"The people that walked in darkness have seen a great 

light: they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, 

upon them hath the light shined." 

—Isaiah. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 171 



SIXTH LESSON. 

CHRIST'S MISSION. 

Christ did not come into the world simply as 
a teacher to mankind, or as a demonstration of 
the redeemed Man, of which He was so perfect 
a type; but as the great Healer, not alone of 
man and the planet, but of that sea of cosmic 
Substance from which objective life is formed. 

The redeeming quality of Christ's blood and 
body has always been the chief corner-stone in 
the Christian religion. However the various 
sects may differ on other points, they steadfastly 
adhere to the one crowning glory, the redeem- 
ing power of Christ's body and blood. 

Through what channels and by what means 
that healing and redeeming process was accom- 
plished has never been satisfactorily explained; 
at least not in these later days. That old story 
that Christ was sacrificed to appease the wrath 
of an angry God, in order that a comparatively 
few out of the great hosts of human beings might 



172 Hermaphro ■ Deity ; 

see salvation from endless punishment, is as a 
body of religious teachings most repulsive to 
the humane and thoughtful seeker after truth. 
To such this teaching has for a foundation 
neither reason nor justice. 

There is abroad at this time a strong spirit 
of inquiry, a desire to ferret out hidden things, 
which, if they be based upon science or reason, 
can be readily comprehended by the reasoning 
and thinking individual. 

Gods works through laws and by orderly 
methods, and not through miracles or especial 
providences. The whole tenor of the life of 
Christ ran to a purpose. All things were or- 
dered to be just as they were; but not for signs 
or symbols, any more than the general prepar- 
ation for the laying of the Atlantic cable, or 
the stretching of our telegraph wires, were in- 
tended as symbols of the completed works. 
Christ's birth was no miracle. His life and His 
death were controlled by laws; the whole pro- 
cess was scientific and methodical. He came to 
perform an important work, and He did it ac- 
cording to fixed laws. 

Mankind, through sin. corruption and selfish- 
ness, had sunk so low in the scale of being as to 
be in danger of annihilation: not only was man 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 173 

himself in jeopardy, but the planet was in a state 
of collapse from its weight of crime. 

Christ having called man and the planet into 
objective existence, it devolved upon Him to 
watch over and protect His work, which was 
only in accordance with divine justice. God's 
pity and love saw a way through which the race 
and planet could be redeemed and restored to 
their primitive purity and perfection. And be- 
cause of His intimate relations with mankind, 
Christ was chosen to take upon Himself the heal- 
ing and restoring of the world. 

This could only be accomplished through His 
coming to our planet,associating Himself with its 
interests; and assuming the human form, there- 
by connecting Himself with the race and estab- 
lishing an electric union between our sorrowful 
world and that belt of light toward which we 
gaze and for which we yearn. 

Christ being of immaculate birth, His body 
and blood was composed, as we have seen, of the 
imperishable Substance. The dual atoms com- 
posing it possessed within themselves an incal- 
culable capacity for expansion, increase and 
healing. There was but one avenue through 
which this healing life could be brought into 



174 Hermaphro- Deity ; 

immediate contact with the life of the earth and 
the human family. 

It is an established fact in history that cruci- 
fixion was the general mode of executing male- 
factors in the time of Christ; it is also known 
that it was a bloodless method of taking life, 
Christ being an exception; He was lacerated 
and torn; He was "Christ of the seven wounds." 
He literally shed His blood, all of which was ac- 
cording to a plan. Every drop, of that immacu- 
late blood, by a process incomprehensible to us, 
was absorbed into the sick and tortured soul 
of the planet, where it has through all of these 
centuries been healing the sting of sin. 

This theory will not appear strange or unrea- 
sonable when we take into consideration the fact 
that there is no such thing as Matter, as gener- 
ally understood, but that Spirit is the only Sub- 
stance in the universe, and that Christ's body and 
blood was of this Substance in its unpolluted 
state. 

He, while on earth, was made tangible to the 
gross physical senses of mankind through a law 
well known to the mystic, and through which 
He manifested Himself to His disciples after His 
crucifixion. It is evident enough He was 

clothed upon with a spiritual form after being 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 175 

laid in the sepulchre. His objective body had a 
mission to the planet and man; in one way it 
acted as an anchor, in another as a healing 
leaven. He was the master of all secret forces, 
and through the concentration of the divine ray 
(which many are now coming to comprehend) 
His body was dissolved and became the property 
of the cosmic life of the planet. 

Christ's Substance operated upon the cosmic 
life somewhat after the manner of ordinary in- 
oculation practiced in the medical schools. At 
least, one might by that illustration gain some 
idea. of the process through which the healing 
life came into contact with the elements from 
which the objective life is evolved. 

The whole divine plan was as orderly and 
natural, and as easily comprehended, as the re- 
placing of a dislocated joint, or the introduction 
of vaccine into the human circulation. It is 
methodical and not at all marvelous or miracu- 
lous. Christ's body and blood was inoculated 
into the life of the world. It was the only man- 
ner in which the life-giving element could be 
brought into contact with the disturbed and 
diseased Substance of human life. 

Everything in God's universe is done in an or- 
derly manner. It has been said, and wisely 



176 Hermaphro- Deity : 

enough, that "God geometrizes." He certainly 
never works outside of law, and we may under- 
stand His methods as we do those employed by 
man; for instance, those of Tesla in his scheme 
of putting our world in communication with 
other planets, and our own method of unravel- 
ing the mystery of the planetary universe 
through our system of telescopy. 

This interpretation of Christ's mission reveals 
the meaning of that mystic lesson which He 
gave His disciples, as recorded by John: 

"My Father gives you the true bread, for the 
bread of God is He which descends from 
heaven, and is giving life to the world. 

"I have descended from heaven, not that I 
may Jo my will; but the will of Him who sent 
me. 

"I am the bread of life * * * I am that 
living bread who has descended from heaven; if 
any one eat of this bread, he shall live forever; 
and the bread is my flesh which I give for the 
life of the world. 

"He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood, 
has eternal life. For my rlesh is the true food, 
and my Wood is the true drink. 

"He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, 
abides in me. and I in him. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 177 

'The bread that I give is my body, which I 
give for the life of the world." 

His parable of the leaven is symbolic of the 
infusion of His life into the Substance of things. 
We understand that the kingdom of heaven, to 
which He so often alluded in His teachings, is 
thtit regenerate state in man where the dual na- 
ture has been restored through that healing life, 
the infusion of His blood and body into the life 
of mankind. 

He says: "The kingdom of heaven resembles 
leaven, which a woman taking, mingled in three 
measures of meal till the whole was fermented. ,, 
Nothing could have expressed the effect of 
Christ's Substance on the mass of cosmic life 
more simply and comprehensively than the les- 
son of the leaven, possessing in its small 
bulk such a wonderful capacity of expansion and 
growth, and the power to infuse itself through- 
out the mass until all becomes perfect. 

Our Lord enlightened Paul in all this sacred 
mystery, although He had gone from sight. It 
was through visions and revelations that Paul 
came into the knowledge of Christ's real nature 
and mission to the world; of His immaculate birth, 
His dual life, the significance of His death, and 
the efficacy of His body and blood. Paul knew 



178 Hermaphro-Deity : 

"many things not lawful for a man to tell," for 
at that time these deeper truths could not be 
comprehended by the generality of mankind. 
With deep reverence and humility he declares: 
"To me, the very lowest of all saints, was this 
favor given to announce among the nations the 
glad tidings, even to enlighten all, as to what is 
the administration of that secret which has been 
concealed from the ages by that God who cre- 
ated all things." 

There is nothing marvelous or needs be mys- 
terious in this entire sacred drama, nothing out- 
side of human possibilities. Christ is in all things 
our Teacher and Guide, and He has promised: 
"He that believeth on Me, the works that I do 
he shall do also; and greater works than these 
shall he do." 

Although Christ gave Himself for the redemp- 
tion of all things, yet man individually has a 
work to perform in the scheme. He must place 
himself in rapport with the saving principle. He 
can no more be saved without effort on his part 
than could a drowning man who refused to lay 
hold of the cable thrown out to him. 

Man must cleanse his nature, change his line 
of thought, open his life to the inflowing of the 
divine healing principle which cannot permeate 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 179 

the animal plane; he must elevate his whole na- 
ture. He must not only redeem himself, but 
must help to redeem the lower kingdoms. "In- 
deed the earnest expectation of creation longs 
for the revelation of the 'Sons of God.' " 

'Who then are these "Sons of God?" They 
are the redeemed of the race, whenever and 
wherever they may be found; all of you here 
who have come into correct thinking and liv- 
ing. 



180 Hermaphro-Deity : 



"Whosoever wall attain to divine contemplation, must 
mortify the anti-Christ in his soul, and depart from all 
own-hood of the will. * * Through imagination, 

and an earnest, serious desire, we become again impreg- 
nated of the Deity, and receive the new body in the old." 

— Jacob Boehme. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 181 

Benares, California, June 9th. 

This morning, at the close of chapel services, 
Father Hyacinth announced that a large party 
of Knights Templar from San Francisco were to 
spend the day with us, dining at the Home and 
inspecting the institution generally. 

This, of course, aroused the interest of the 
transient members of the family; for as sly as we 
may keep it, we all like a little smack of the out- 
side world, however wicked it may be. Annie 
goes down to the junction almost every day, just 
to smell the wheel grease, she says, but I notice 
she manages to be on the spot only when the 
great express trains thunder in. 

An extra train on our road will run down to 
the junction to meet the nine o'clock express 
from the west bringing in the Sir Knights, and 
Brother Paul has invited our party to go down 
with him and see them come in. The principal 
attraction for me this morning is the company 
of Brothers and Sisters, over two hundred in 
number, who will go down on our train as far as 
the orange orchards, there to stay over to gather 
fruit until the eleven o'clock train comes up, 
which will bring them to dinner, as every indi- 
vidual is expected to array himself or herself in 



182 Hermaphro- Deity : 

his or her best in honor of the distinguished 
guests. 

The fruit pickers were about equally divided 
as to men and women and old and young — if 
one could say old, regarding these people. Cer- 
tain things they appear to have forgotten, such 
as getting wrinkled, sallow and peevish. I have 
a chronic distaste for crowds, and have always 
kept out of them if I could, until I came up here. 
Now I manage to get with the gatherings of 
these curious people whenever I can, they ap- 
pear to rest me somehow, I cannot tell why, but 
they talk about unusual things, and talk low; 
and usually after I have been in Annie's com- 
pany for a while T get so wrought up that if I can 
only fly out to the fields or orchards and just tag 
the "helpers," as they call them, from place to 
place, I become as serene and angelic as the best 
of them ; and John says that he has hopes that I 
may be saved yet. 

The honor of meeting and welcoming the 
guests had been given to Brother Eric — he 
being a member of the Order. 

"Von have no doubt been attracted toward 
Brother Eric in many ways," said Brother Paul, 
looking out under his heavy brows at John. "He 
has a* history.'' he continued, "interesting be- 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 183 

yond that of the generality of men." Then he 
fell into a thinking mood. 

Brother Paul has a fascination about him that 
is most difficult to describe. He has a way of 
saying a few words, and then dropping off into a 
silence that expresses more than most people's 
words. So we sauntered along toward the train 
that stood snorting ready to start and was being 
filled with those who were going down to the 
orchards. ' 

After we were seated, Brother Paul turned to 
us and said, "Brother Eric is master of cere- 
monies today, and I want you to watch him 
closely. His experience would fill a volume," 
he continued, "but he is so silent no one could 
read him from the surface; he is a man of deep 
and reverent nature and great dignity of char- 
acter, in fact, a king among men. Later I will 
give you a short sketch of the past ten or twelve 
years of his life. He is so modest and retiring, 
that I fear you can never know his real nature 
or character; for self-sacrifice and good work he 
stands foremost in the ranks of the brotherhood. ,, 

At this point we arrived at the junction, just 
as the long express train began to move slowly 
out, looking like a huge reptile crawling over 
the face of the country. Standing upon the plat- 



184 Hermaphro-Deity : 

form was a large party of distinguished looking 
and handsomely uniformed men; and as Brother 
Eric stepped forward to greet them, to my as- 
tonishment I saw that he too wore the dress of 
the Knights Templar. As he lifted his chapeau, 
saluting the company, I could not but admire his 
manly bearing, his broad shoulders, deep full 
chest; but above all, his magnificent head, like 
a great dome looming up. I have no words to 
express the air with which that man bore him- 
self, as he advanced toward the company, each 
man uncovering his head to return the saluta- 
tion. I turned and looked at John and Brother 
Paul, who both stood with uncovered heads. 
Annie for once in her life was silent, and I also, 
because I was afraid to speak, but I thought to 
myself, "Well, they have all caught it;" and I 
fell to thinking and studying and I have not 
found it out yet. 

What a day that was! No language can ex- 
press its fullness. I never had an opportunity to 
speak a word, but I just kept thinking. I re- 
called to mind that somewhere somebody had 
said that, "One day with the Lord was as a 
thousand years, and a thousand years as one 
day.'' I never could understand that kind of talk 
before. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 185 

After we were all seated at the dinner tables, 
Brother Eric rose and gave a brief but eloquent 
address welcoming the Sir Knights to the friend- 
ship of the brotherhood. How his face lighted 
up, and how lordly he did look. While he was 
speaking Annie leaned over and whispered in 
my ear, "That tow-headed Austrian is just too 
handsome for business," but she did not explain 
what business;" it may have been some of her 
slang. 

At the close of the banquet a fine stately 
gentleman — one of the Sir Knights — arose and 
gave a most flattering tribute to the colony and 
its workings, saying at the close of his speech 
that its foundation he believed was eternal, 
because of its principle of equal suffrage ; that if 
any preference was shown at all it was given to 
the woman. 

This, as a matter of course, brought forth pro- 
longed applause, and if ever I was heartily glad 
that I was a woman it was on that occasion, to 
see the real deference that was shown the Sis- 
ters by those city men; but the beauty of the 
whole thing was that the Sisters commanded 
that respect, and those men could not help them- 
selves. It was the most beautiful picture I ever 
saw; the Sisters in their graceful and classic 



186 Uermaphro- Deity : 

dresses, the Brothers all in their white uniforms. 
The strange and unique sight evidently impress- 
ed those city-bred men deeply, from the fact that 
we fashionably and gaudily attired females pre- 
sented not the slightest attraction for them. 

But I didn't care; I was glad of it, for I knew 
that those women were beautiful, and that they 
were as good as they were beautiful. I knew 
that they possessed what women of the world 
can never know anything of; and I saw that 
these men of the world instinctively recognized 
in them a hidden but potent influence. 

So that day passed, full of strange experiences 
to me, and the most deeply interesting of my life. 
But then my life is only a small one as yet. 

Our visitors went down to meet the four 
o'clock express, having been deeply interested in 
what they had seen, judging from remarks made 
during the day. Brother Eric and Father Hya- 
cinth accompanying the guests to see them off 
on their home-bound train. 

Annie had arranged for a shorthand report of 
the clay's proceedings for one of the Sir Knights, 
which he was to have published in the San Fran- 
cisco dailies. 

Brother Paul, John, Angela and myself started 
up the mountain for a little quiet chat before the 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 187 

evening gathering. After we had all been seated 
for some moments, drinking in the sublime 
beauty of the surrounding country, I began to 
wriggle about, I did not like the silence; then, 
too, I wanted to hear something about that man 
Eric. 

Brother Paul has a queer manner of looking 
at people and never seeming to see them. What 
troubles me the most is the fact that these 
strange men and women talk more with their 
eyes than with their mouths; a kind of language 
that I have never gotten used to, although John 
and Angela use it generally, never appearing to 
require any words to help them in understand- 
ing each other perfectly. Silence may be a glori- 
ous thing, but talk is the average woman's birth- 
right. Life is not of much consequence if she is 
deprived of that right. 

I had endured this silence about as long as I 
could; I began to feel that I wanted to scream 
right out, or get up and run or kick or do some- 
thing to break the spell, when Angela, in her 
quiet way, turning to Brother Paul, said, "I wish 
you would tell us something of Brother Eric's 
life; what you said of him this morning made 
him an object of double interest to us all I feel 
sure," looking at me as she finished speaking. 



188 Hermaphro- Deity : 

I looked up into Brother Paul's face. There 
was something in its expression that quieted my 
excitability in a few seconds, how or why I am 
sure I don't know; it is a power possessed by 
these confounded men. I hope to know some 
day how it is done. 

"We never give utterance to any flattery, 
boasts or recrimination in this fraternity,'' said 
the Brother, quietly and slowly, without raising 
his eyes, "but if there was really expressed what 
is uppermost in each heart, it would be to say 
that Brother Eric stands, in all respects, as a 
member of this institution, trusted and loved be- 
yond expression. He has permitted us to oc- 
casionally use his history as a lesson to those 
who believe in constitutional and irredeemable 
degradation." And with that he looked straight 
at me in a manner that made the cold chills creep 
up and down my back, so I never looked his way 
again, but I kept up a tremendous thinking. 

"Eleven years ago this very month," he con- 
tinued, "just at nightfall, there came to the Home 
a lone tramp of the most despicable type, judg- 
ing from all appearances. Only those who have 
come into close relationship with tramp life can 
form any conception of what human life can sink 
into, of the degradation, of the worse than brute 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 189 

development. This man — if we could call him 
such — had evidently sounded the depths of all 
phases of crime of which tramp life is susceptible. 
But as we never refuse any applicants, or ask 
any questions, he was taken in and kindly at- 
tended to like all others. 

"He did not utter a word for many days, un- 
til at length he was consulted as to what occupa- 
tion he would prefer; he appeared then to bright- 
en up, and at once chose bookkeeping, for which 
he has shown the utmost aptitude. 

"At length he asked if he could be admitted 
into the brotherhood, which request was readily 
granted, for no one could then recognize in him 
the filthy, ragged, profane and degraded tramp 
of a few months previous. When he was initi- 
ated, he was asked what name he would prefer 
to go by. After a long and expressive si 1 ence, 
he said, 'You may call me Eric, but above ail I 
wish you would call me Brother,' and tears, as 
only such men can shed, were rolling down his 
broad cheeks. 

"No one ever questioned him as to his past 
life, but when he had been with us a year he was 
trusted with any and everything. He was such 
an accomplished accountant that he took charge 
of nearly all of the sales, our business never hav- 



190 Hermaphro- Deity : 

ing been so well managed as through him. This 
is a collossal enterprise, this plantation of five 
thousand acres." 

How the man's face lighted up as he progress- 
ed. 

"You have noticed/' he continued, turning to 
John, "that there are between twenty and thirty 
freight cars sent out daily loaded with oranges, 
and twice that number with grapes and other 
fruit; this part of the enterprise is under Eric's 
management. 

"When he had been with us two years we had 
grown to worship the man, he exhibited so many 
grand traits; then. too. he was so modest, he 
stood out a kind of grand figurehead, and we 
would find ourselves quoting Eric on all oc- 
casions. It became to me alarming, although I 
never breathed my fears, still I knew too well the 
effect on all of hero-worship. From his en- 
trance into the fraternity he had become a part 
of myself; we made no manifestation of regard, 
but each would have died for the other and 
counted it gain." 

"A modern Damon and Pythias," suggested 
Angela, smiling. 

"Yes. quite equal," answered the narrator, 



The Mystery of Divine Genius, 191 

laughing good humoredly; "I can smile now, 
but there was a time when I could not. 

"To proceed, for it is near our supper hour. 
When Eric had been with us two years there 
came an unusual large and important order from 
San Francisco for small fruit, and it was deemed 
advisable for Eric to go there and superintend 
the matter personally. The train was enormous 
in size, and of great value, being of the early 
and perishable fruits. It was made up 
and despatched, and Eric was to telegraph us 
within twenty-four hours; as we very naturally 
felt anxious concerning the matter, it being a 
new venture, and rather an experiment in fact. 
So when twenty-four hours lapsed into thirty- 
six, and thirty-six into forty-eight, and yet no 
word or sign, we concluded that something must 
be wrong, so I started on after him. I traced 
the train into the freight sheds in San Francisco, 
and was told that the cars had been unloaded 
on their arrival. Then I began to reconnoiter 
the city. I found that the fruit had all been dis- 
posed of on its arrival at the highest price and in 
the most perfect order, but I could not fin i my man. 
I continued my search with the assistance of the 
best police force in the city for twenty-four hours 
without the shadow of a clue. I had then given 



192 Hermaphro- Deity : 

up in despair and was about to return home, 
when I met on the street one of the freight 
agents whom I had previously talked with. He 
came up to me and said, 'I believe your man is 
in one of the cars, locked in; we can hear some- 
thing in the car, but it is locked on the inside 
and we cannot get in, and would not force the 
door until we had seen you.' 

"Well, we went down to the depot and forced 
the car door open; and there, sure enough, lay 
our Eric dead drunk. After he had finished his 
business he had locked himself up in the car 
with his jugs of liquor about him and became 
oblivious to everything else. If I had found 
him dead from an assassin's hand — had he but 
died in honor — I should have been happy in 
comparison to what I then suffered." 

Then Paul had another spell, and we had to 
wait. At length he continued. 

"Upon examining his person I found all the 
money safely folded in his belt and strapped 
about him, showing that he had completed per- 
fectly all his business before touching the liquor. 

"He was utterly unconscious of anything, so 
I arranged a good comfortable bed, and with the 
help of one of the men put him in it. I threw 
away the intoxicants, secured some wholesome 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 193 

food, had our train run out and attached to one 
going east, then took up my station beside the 
poor fellow, and by daylight the next morn- 
ing we found ourselves switched off on a side 
track at Benares. 

"I .can never forget the look in that man's 
eyes when he came to consciousness and realized 
what had transpired. He appeared to sense all 
that had taken place after he had lost his con- 
sciousness. He had done the thing, of all others, 
that he would not had he kept his equilibrium. 
I could feel that strong man's agony, and would 
have given my life to have relieved him. I asked 
no questions; I only held his hands in mine, and 
silently prayed for help. 

"You know what all such things mean," said 
Paul, looking around squarely at John. 

I knew only too well that John had been 
through many such scenes, and now his tender 
eyes were filled with tears. 

"After a time," continued Brother Paul, "Eric 
controlled himself sufficiently to speak to me. 
'I think it wisest that I should not go back to 
the Home,' he said in a low disconsolate voice. 
'If you could but know what I have suffered! 
Drink has been my curse from the first. O God, 
have mercy upon me! I will not disgrace you, 



194 Hermaphro-Deity : 

dearest and most patient friend.' He was cover- 
ing my hands with kisses and his burning tears, 
rising he unbuckled the belt from around his 
body, and handing it to me, said, There is the 
money for the sales, all safe; it was one of the 
most profitable ever made, and oh! if I could 
only have been man enough to have resisted that 
accursed appetite,' and he fell prone upon the 
floor of the car and shook as only such men 
shake in their grief. 

''After he had quieted down a little I said to 
him, 'Eric, you must go back to the Home; no 
one will ever know that anything has happened; 
you can go right on with your work; I know 
that such an accident will never happen again.' 
I took him in my arms and held him close to my 
heart and asked the Master to stay by us both; 
I bathed his swollen and tear-stained face, 
combed his disheveled hair and brushed his 
clothing, constantly speaking words of encour- 
agement. The cars having been side-tracked. 
no one knew that we had returned, so I felt that 
I could take my time and straighten the fellow 
up. He sobbed and trembled like a child who 
had been fearfully beaten, never once looking 
into my face. 

"After I had brushed him up. and infused a 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 195 

kind of new life into him, he looked up into 
my face and said, 'My disgrace must not be con- 
cealed from the fraternity; I cannot live under 
false colors; they must know it all. I can trust 
them. They will help me, if I am worthy.' 

"I wish," Brother Paul resumed, after a slight 
pause, "that I could describe to you the peculiar 
expression in that man's eyes when he at last 
looked me full in the face. There was the im- 
press of a fearful experience, and a resolve; an 
expression that has never departed nor ever will. 
At his request a meeting of the fraternity was 
called, that meeting is as a sealed book, but it is 
registered in heaven. 

"That all happened over nine years ago. Eric 
has gone regularly, and alone, every year to the 
large cities arranging for the marketing of our 
fruit, nothing has ever occurred since; we have 
had no more anxiety concerning him than we 
have of Sister Irene when she goes to the city to 
arrange for the shipping of her honey," looking 
over toward me and smiling, because he knew 
that Sister Irene was my patron saint. 

"It seems sad though that he should have 
been so humiliated before the fraternity. Could 
it not just as well have been kept from them?" 
Angela asked in a low voice. 



196 Hermaphro- Deity : 

" 'There is a divinity that shapes our ends, 
roughhewthem howwe may,' "repeated Brother 
Paul slowly. "We were all growing to make an 
idol of him; he had need to fall in order to show 
us our error. We must not worship Personality. 
It is true that he is now often given the place 
of honor because he has shown himself a prince 
among men, has become master of himself. In 
early life, before he fell, he stood high in the 
Masonic fraternity, and was perfectly at home 
with those men who were here today." 

At this juncture the supper bell rang and we 
all walked off silently toward the Home, no one 
uttering a word on the way. But I kept up a 
thinking; I recalled the fact that John had al- 
ways said that Good was the only cure for Evil; 
and I remembered how T had battled with him 
for what I declared was sheer nonsense, main- 
taining that the world would never be any bet- 
ter unless people were punished severely for their 
evil doings. 

As we came up to the porch we met Father 
Hyacinth and Brother Eric just returning from 
the junction. How grand that Norseman look- 
ed, calm, quiet and self-possessed. 

Can such things be? And did he descend into 
the dregs? I ask myself, as this grand dignified 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 197 

man passed on in advance of us. Alas! how lit- 
tle we know of the reality of life, and the things 
that go to make up life. 



"To him that overcometh will I give of the hidden 
manna (i. e., essential bread), and I will give him a white 
stone (i. e., an incorruptible body), and upon the stone 
a new word (i. e., title) written, which no man knoweth 
but he that receiveth it." 

— Revelation ii. 17. 



198 Hermaphro- Deity 



CHAPTER VII. 

Benares, California. June 16th. 

This morning', after breakfast, the Westlake 
family, John. Annie and myself, started out on 
a reconnoitering expedition up the side of the 
mountain. After a time we came to a deep 
ravine, along the side of which there was a well- 
beaten roadway that appeared to have been 
much traveled. We could none of us understand 
its use away up there, almost beyond the timber 
line. We strolled on, it appeared to me a full 
mile, some of the way quite steep, when pres- 
ently we came in sight of a large singularly 
shaped stone building, nearly completed, a num- 
ber of workmen still engaged upon it. 

As we neared the building, one of the Broth- 
ers, who seemed to be inspecting the work, came 
forward, and John enquired of him the nature 
of the edifice. 

"This is our Observatorv," he answered: "we 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 199 

are quite anxious to get it completed as our tele- 
scope is to be here next week." 

This was all so new to us that we were silent 
for some moments, when John said, "I was not 
aware that you were building an Observatory. 
How long have you been on the work?" 

"We commenced the building three years 
ago," he answered; "it has necessarily progress- 
ed slowly because we work only a given number 
of hours each day — not more than five or six. 
Then nearly all of our material is taken in the 
rough, right up here; we burn our own lime for 
our mortar; the stone for our walls and the slate 
for roofing comes from the quarries right here; 
we get our wood from lower down the mountain ; 
we make our own putty. The glass, nails and 
iron trimmings are about all that we import. 
Our progress is rather slow, but everything is 
done upon honor; we have, as a matter of course, 
a large force of 'Helpers.' " 

"What is to be the calibre of your install- 
ment?" asked Sir Anthony Westlake. 

"It is to be equal in every respect, if not super- 
ior, to the one in the Lick Observatory. You 
must examine our building; there is not another 
in the country as fine in finish and appoint- 
ments." 



200 Her maphro- Deity : 

We entered and inspected the structure, which 
Sir Charles considered quite equal to that of Sir 
Francis Galtons in England. 

"Who was your architect?" he asked of the 
Brother. 

"Brother Paul drew up the plan," replied the 
man; "he is quite an astronomer, and has visited 
all of the observatories of any note, both in 
Europe and in this country, and has improved 
upon them all we think," smiling good naturedly. 

"Do you have no overseer or superintendent 
from the outside world?" asked the Englishman. 

"No," replied the Brother. "Every man is his 
own overseer and superintendent. Every one 
of the twenty-five men at work here is equally 
capable of following out Brother Paul's plans, 
each man endeavors to see how perfectly he can 
perform the work allotted to him. We all have 
an especial pride in this building; every member 
of the fraternity is full of anticipation concern- 
ing this additional facility for study and re- 
search." 

"Well, this colony I consider one of the mar- 
vels of this century." said Sir Charles Westlake 
as we were descending the mountain. 
"Had the plan been presented to me before com- 
ing here I should have pronounced it entirely 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 201 

Utopian, but their resources are marvelous, con- 
sidering where they are. I examined their li- 
brary, and was astonished not only at the quantity 
but also at the quality of the reading matter it 
contained. They appear not only to be all ar- 
tists and artisans, but scholars as well," he said, 
laughing. 

"They do not permit you to call them 'work- 
men,' " I said, remembering what Sister Alicia 
had said to me; "they are 'Helpers.' " 

"Well," he said, laughing heartily, "whatever 
they call themselves, they are a really wonderful 
people." 

Annie now monopolized the attention of the 
young lord, and fell back on the pretense of get- 
ting some ferns and flowers that grew in an in- 
accessible place, and which she sent his lordship 
clambering over rocks and brambles to gather. 
She had that faculty which so many girls have, 
of always appropriating in a company what they 
consider the "catch" of the occasion. 

I don't mention this from any feeling of jeal- 
ousy, for I did not want the English lord's at- 
tention, for I would rather have John's little 
finger than all the lords in creation. 

The rest of our party strolled on down toward 
Home, as it was now nearly time for the lesson. 



202 Hermaphro- Deity : 

A Brother walking down with us remarked on 
the way that in two weeks there was to be an 
excursion party from Los Angeles, which would 
be quite an interesting affair, as the party was 
to remain over night and visit the Observatory, 
the telescope would then be in working order. 
The visitors had been invited by the Brothers in 
honor of the occasion. 

"I would like to enquire where you people get 
all the means for procuring these luxuries; the 
elegant buildings, furniture, telescopes, etc?" 
asked Sir Anthony Westlake. "In my country 
it requires money, a vast deal of it, even to live 
quietly, and here you have luxuries and an 
abundance of them." 

"Our institution is now self-sustaining,*' an- 
swered the Brother. "Our income far exceeds 
our outlay. YVe have five thousand acres of 
land, a large portion of it under a high state of 
cultivation. We have at this time six hundred 
acres of the choicest variety of grapes just ready 
for the market. A large part of the labor is per- 
formed by the fraternity, except in extreme 
cases, as in the gathering of fruits that 
ripen simultaneously, like grapes, when we are 
obliged to import our help by the hun- 
dreds.* 1 Here smiling and waving an adieu he 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 203 

turned off into another path and we continued 
on. 

"As far as I have been able to judge, they all 
appear well educated," said Sir Anthony. 

"This is really a school," John replied; "they 
have every facility for education. I have rarely 
been in colleges that were better equipped than 
their school rooms. Those who enter the insti- 
tution from time to time, who have had no op- 
portunities in early life, go through a course of 
primary studies, and after a time through the 
more advanced course. There is no place in 
this colony for ignorance, lack of discipline or 
lack of self-control." 

"So I see," said the Englishman, apparently 
in a brown study, walking slowly with his head 
down and his hands clasped behind him. 

We had now reached the Home, and saw the 
guests from without all going toward the chapel, 
and heard the grand old clock chiming the quar- 
ter to nine. 

John drew my arm through his, saying in a 
low voice, "You must listen carefully to the les- 
son this morning, for it is a deeply significant 
subject and I would like you to understand the 
full meaning of all of these teachings." 



204 Hermaphro - Deity ; 

"I will try," I answered seriously, "for your 
sake." 

After we had been seated a few moments An- 
nie entered, smiling radiantly, followed by her 
young lord with his arms full of brush, looking 
foolish and disgusted. I glanced slyly up at 
John's face, and saw a merry twinkle in his hon- 
est brown eyes, and the dimples deepen in his 
cheeks; the Boston man, leaning his head down 
on the back of John's seat, fairly shook with sup- 
pressed laughter. They all enjoyed Annie's lit- 
tle harmless maneuvering at times. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. - 205 



"And for this cause, Man above all things that live 
upon Earth, is double; mortal, because of his Body, and 
immortal because of the substantial Man. 

"And being Hermaphrodite, or Male and Female, and 
watchful, he is governed by, and subjected to a Father, 
that is both Male and Female, and watchful." 

— Hermes, in "Divine Pymander." 



"Increased practice of celibacy is the only means for 
any real advancement of the race; the celibacy which is 
not the result of restraint, but the outcome of a spiritual 
growth, producing deep conviction and general elevation 
of character. 

The commonest objection taken against celibacy is 
that if practiced by all it will bring the world to an end. 
This line of argument entirely ignores the dynamic power 
of thought, which the celibates will bring to bear upon 
those desirous of issue; and thus the general average of 
humanity, far from deteriorating, will be likely to im- 
prove." 

— Fragments of Forgotten History. 



206 Hermaphro- Deity 



SEVENTH LESSON. 

CELIBACY. 

"The children of this age marry and are given 
in marriage; but those that are deemed worthy 
to attain to the kingdom and the resurrection 
from the dead, neither marry or are given in 
marriage. For in those days, those before the 
Deluge, they were eating and drinking, marry- 
ing and pledging in marriage, till the day that 
Noah entered the ark, and understood not till 
the Deluge came and swept them all away." 

"And they sang as it were a new song. * * * 
And no one was able to learn that song except 
the hundred and forty-four thousand, those who 
were redeemed from the earth. These are those 
who were not defiled with women, for they were 
virgins. These were redeemed from men." 

We have every assurance that the race was 
created androgynous or double, each individual 
possessing both the male and female character- 
istics; that it was angelic, knowing nothing of 
what we call sin. Now as Man was created in 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 207 

the image of God, we come to the conclusion 
that like his Creator he must be changeless and 
deathless; so that whatever may present itself 
to us in our investigation in this direction we can 
always fall back on that fact. 

The double angelic individual, possessing 
within his or herself the divine mate — the two 
in one — is a being altogether beyond our pres- 
ent comprehension, but we believe in it all the 
same. In our sacred annals we learn that as long 
as Man preserved his androgynous character 
and attended strictly to the business assigned to 
him, he was not only righteous but was perfectly 
happy also. 

We have discovered in our study that Man, 
somewhere along his journey, cultivated a dispo- 
sition to pry into things, and as he required suit- 
able implements with which to work, he invent- 
ed a species of home-made law, quite outside of 
and unknown to divine jurisdiction; he also 
tinkered up some kind of a machine that he call- 
ed "mind" to match it; and in time fell to think- 
ing on a very curious plane of thought that 
changed his whole being, mentally, morally and 
physically, so that he was apparently no longer 
one whole, all round and perfect being, but there 
were two very inferior halves; and sometimes 



208 Hermaphro- Deity : 

not quite halves — a fact that we are being con- 
stantly made aware of. 

Then later on we hear of the "fall of Man," 
that greatest of all catastrophes in the world's 
history — or so we judge. We learn also that the 
cause of the "fall" of Man was his losing sight 
of his divine helpmate within, and his starting 
on a race for something or someone outside of 
himself; thereby, according to our best authori- 
ties, committing a species of adultery by his 
transgression of the law of wholeness. The pun- 
ishment for which was the development on our 
earth of every form of sin, sickness, discord and 
death; as we have been previously informed. 

Now from the heights, after contemplating 
those angelic beings created in the image of 
God, we will descend and make the acquaintance 
of the nineteenth century individual; who, after 
countless ages of mismanagement in doing 
business on his own responsibility, is beginning 
to realize that there is a screw loose in the ma- 
chinery somewhere. He is coming into a con- 
sciousness — somewhat dimly perhaps — that 
there is something in existence beside himself. 
There are times when, back of all the jar, dis- 
cord, confusion and mistakes, he feels half con- 
sciously the steady push of infinite design. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 209 

'Many things that man through his mis-step 
has been forced to do in the old regime, are no 
longer admissible in this our new dispensation. 
A misdemeanor in a child would be overlooked 
because of ignorance; but in one matured and 
knowing the law, a transgression would be con- 
sidered a sin, and punishable as such. "If I had 
not spoken unto them, they would not have had 
sin, but now they have no excuse for their sins," 
said the Master. 

To the more advanced of the human race, celi- 
bacy has become an imperative law, the trans- 
gression of which brings to the individual inde- 
scribable suffering, and in a degree degradation 
in various forms. 

The Indian proverb says, "He who desires off- 
spring desires death, the immortal must be celi- 
bate. 

"The married relation, which accentuates the 
difference between man and woman, is utterly 
incompatible with the higher life. 

"Adeptship is the peculiar heritage of the celi- 
bate. ' 

"The spiritual wisdom of the world has been 
the offspring of the celibate." * 

* Fragments of Forgotten History. 



210 Hermaphro-Deity : 

The robust health and fine physical develop- 
ment usually existing among Catholic priests is 
the result of the celibate life. All people who 
have lived strictly and conscientiously up to this 
life escape the ordinary diseases that attack the 
generality of mankind. In monastic institutions, 
where there are at times hundreds of inmates, 
living often in close quarters, there are rarely, if 
ever, cases of sickness of such character as ordi- 
narily prevail among the pupils of schools and 
colleges. 

This fact is easily accounted for, when we un- 
derstand that celibacy is the foundation upon 
which all such institutions are founded, and is 
conscientiously practiced by its devotees. To 
live in obedience to the law of chastity must in- 
fluence for good the entire life of the individual, 
physically, morally and mentally. 

When we fully realize that the real Man is 
still dual, and that the division is only in the 
perishable animal man and no more enduring, 
it will be plain enough to the individual that he 
can easily outgrow that low habit of thought, 
just as readily as he denies away many other 
criminal suggestions of his mind of the flesh. 
This change cannot take place in the individual 
without some effort or preparation on his part. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 211 

He will need to think deeply and upon religious 
and spiritual subjects, dwelling long and earnest- 
ly; until, like Milton, he can see with spiritual 
eyes. 

''Till oft converse with heavenly habitants 
Begin to cast a beam on the outward shape, 
The unpolluted temple of the Mind, 
And turns it by degrees to the soul's essence, 
Till all be made immortal." 

Christ was an example of the regenerate Man; 
the recovered Man; and the race is to attain to 
His state. He came to demonstrate the law of 
celibacy — to restore that lost art. His advent 
on this planet was not a miracle, but a demon- 
stration of the law of chastity. Celibacy was the 
core of His teachings, and that of all those dis- 
ciples who were prepared to understand His 
more occult lessons. He said to His faithful few, 
"To you it is given to know the mysteries of 
God's kingdom, but to others in parables only." 
But even in his more external teachings there is 
ample proof of His doctrine of celibacy. He 
said, "The children of this age marry and are 
given in marriage, but those deemed worthy to 
obtain that world, and that resurrection from 
the dead, neither marry nor are given in mar- 



212 Hermaphro-Deity : 

riage, because they are like angels, and are sons 
of God, being sons of the resurrection." "And 
the disciples say to Him, It is not good to mar- 
ry?" "He answered, None can admit the word 
(the teaching) but those to whom it is given; 
for there are some eunuchs by natural constitu- 
tion, others have been made eunuchs by men, 
and others have made themselves eunuchs on 
the account of the kingdom of the heavens. He 
who is able to do this let him do it." 

The term "eunuch," as ordinarily employed, 
has not the same significance as in the teaching 
of Christ. The translators have used the word 
eunuch for the want of a more appropriate term 
for those of whom He was speaking. In one 
case He declares that the individual had been 
born above the carnal law, that is, of a dual 
nature; "For there are some eunuchs by natural 
constitution." In another instance there had 
been evolved through religious thought and pur- 
ity of life in the person, that at-onement of the 
two natures; "Such have made themselves 
eunuchs on the account of the 'kingdom of the 
heavens.' " In brief, they have received the Holy 
Spirit. "Others have been made eunuchs by 
men." Have been made eunuchs through the 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 213 

manual process known at the present time as 
asexualization. 

Paul in his more mystical teaching says, "I 
wish all men to be even as myself, * * * 
the time being shortened; it remains that those 
having wives should be as not having them. 

"You who formerly were afar off, are made 
near by the blood of Christ. * * * Having 
by His flesh annulled the law" (that is the carnal 
or sex law). 

"That He might form the two in Himself un- 
to one new man. * * * * Who will trans- 
form the body of our humiliation unto conform- 
ity with His glorious body." 

By which we understand that through the di- 
vine Substance of Christ we are to be healed of 
that race-mark of sin, and that there is to be an 
awakening in man of the divine dual conscious- 
ness; a blossoming out of the Christlikeness 
within him, as Paul saw it. "He will transform 
the body of our humiliation (that which was 
our humiliation) into conformity with His glori- 
ous body." 

Jacob Boehme expresses it: "Through imagin- 
ation, and in earnest serious desire, we become 
again impregnated of the Deity, and receive the 
new body in the old." We must be "born again" 



214 Hermaphro- Deity ; 

— to use a hackneyed expression — must be re- 
generated. 

An important crisis occurs in the evolution of 
the psychic nature in every individual. A cul- 
minating point in the growth toward that change 
known as regeneration or the "new birth." It is 
the scene of the "temptation," an experience 
that none can escape. If at this point in his 
growth the individual descends to the animal 
plane, hoping to live in both worlds at the same 
time, he will, if he continues to occupy this de- 
batable ground, not only suffer menta 1 and physi- 
cal torture, but open the doors to the most un- 
holy of- influences, "And the last state of that 
man will be worse than the first." 

There are many in these latter days who are 
on that debatable ground, who long to be eman- 
cipated; yet who know nothing of those laws 
that control their spiritual nature. The suffer- 
ings of such are indescribable. These are their 
birth throes, and they do not know where to look 
for deliverance. 

To the lover of his kind, there are presented 
at this time many distressing and discouraging 
features in the management of human affairs. 
It is not alone the eye of the pessimist that de- 
tects these portends of coming calamity: but 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 215 

the philanthropist, the humanitarian, and even 
the altruist, looks on with forebodings. 

The race has been so long under the dominion 
of the animal sex law that there has been bred 
in the physical constitution a deadly disease, a 
plague spot, contagious and destructive in its ef- 
fects, not only on the physical lives of men and 
women, but damning to the soul as well. This 
disease does not exist alone in the unmention- 
able abodes of sin, or in the low dens of crime; 
but prevails alike in high places, regardless of 
position, culture or education. It has become a 
race malady. Forty years' practice as a physi- 
cian among women has convinced me that the 
prevalence of those affections peculiar to females 
is caused wholly from the transgression of the 
law controlling the dual life. This sin against 
the divine law is the cause of the constantly in- 
creasing nervous derangements and insanity, 
which so far have baffled the skill of the most 
learned of the medical fraternity. The divided 
sex poison becomes, to both men and women, 
under certain conditions destructive in its effect 
upon the brain and nerve centers, inducing ner- 
vous diseases which are incurable without a life 
of total abstinence from the exciting cause. 

The reason for the effect of this transgression 



216 Hermaphro - Deity : 

being so much more destructive to woman than 
to man is because the female side of humanity 
has never yet wholly lost the image of the divine 
feminine — "the dual type;" they have not yet 
come totally under the law of degeneracy, and 
are therefore many degrees higher and nearer 
redemption than the masculine. That is why 
woman suffers so keenly from the prevailing 
wrongs. The nearer a soul is to its regeneration, 
the more does it suffer from the commission of 
sin. 

To live a celibate life not only tends to heal 
and elevate the individual, but to influence for 
good all other lives with whom he or she may 
come in intimate contact. The overcoming of 
this animal instinct will be the soul's Gethse- 
mane. It is the door opening into that kingdom 
of God which is within you all. 

One having overcome the animal nature has 
no longer any desire for the ownership, mon- 
opoly or possession of an individual life. Such 
no longer speak of "my wife." "my husband" or 
"my children," but instead "our brother/' "our 
sister," "our friend," "our Father!" from whom 
the whole family in the heavens and on earth is 
named. Among the animal qualities overcome 
will be his "myness." 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 217 

This change in the life will not narrow the 
sympathies and render one selfish, but, instead, 
will broaden and deepen the whole nature. It 
will have annihilated the animal selfhood in man 
and woman, rendering them capable of loving 
their neighbor as themselves. 

Here arises a somewhat exciting and weighty 
question: If celibacy becomes a general prac- 
tice, how is the world to become populated? you 
ask. 

This is a difficult question to answer. We can 
only fall back on the statement that forms the 
principal support of our theory. That God hav- 
ing made man androgynous — in His own like- 
ness and after His own image — the androgynous 
man is therefore really a fixed fact in creation, 
only requiring recognition to become an estab- 
lished order. Then according to the wise order- 
ing of things, which we are too corrupt to com- 
prehend at present, immaculate conception 
would be again established; there being nothing 
mysterious or marvelous in it, Mary and Jesus 
being our open examples. 

Celibacy cannot in this age become a prevail- 
ing practice, from the fact that the teaching can- 
not be accepted but by the few who have reached 
that climacteric stage in their experience which 



218 Hermaphro- Deity : 

demands a radical change in their physical mode 
of living; there need be no fear so far as the 
"end of the world" is concerned. Christ said, 
"He that is able to receive it, let him receive it." 
There will be, no doubt, some little time yet be- 
fore celibacy will become universal. I fear it 
will not be in our time. 

There is little danger of any lack of popula- 
tion; the greater weight of the world's sorrow is 
caused by the surplus of a certain grade of 
human life that is constantly increasing in vol- 
ume. 

According to Boehme, ''The end of the 
world," which has been so long the terror of the 
average of mankind, is simply the end of animal 
generation. 

To the true lover of mankind, the Christian, 
humanitarian and philanthropist, the most deep- 
ly interesting problem of the hour is — or should 
be — the mental, moral and physical condition of 
those most largely engaged in propagating the 
human species. Who is it that is filling our 
foundling hospitals, homes for the feeble mind- 
ed, houses of correction, houses of illfame. re- 
form schools, work houses, prisons, and many 
other institutions established for the alleviation 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 219 

of evils from over-production of certain grades 
of human beings? 

The majority of the population of the world at 
this time live but a little above the animal plane; 
a proportion sinking even below the brute in de- 
gradation, being usually the more prolific; while 
the mentally, morally and physically well bal- 
anced portion of the race add but a limited num- 
ber to the advanced types in these days. A 
large proportion of the refined, cultured and 
well-to-do people enter into the marriage rela- 
tion with a fixed intention of avoiding offspring. 
Taking it altogether the replenishing of the 
human family is left mainly to those wholly un- 
fit for the parental office. 

Now the vital and all-absorbing question of 
the hour is not, How shall we increase the popu- 
lation of the world? but, rather, How shall we 
stay the tide of the over-production of the de- 
formed, imbecile, degraded and vicious human- 
ity that is hourly being multiplied? 

There appears to be one solution to the mat- 
ter; it is, that inasmuch as man established the 
law of animal generation, it devolves upon him 
to regulate the working of that law, especially 
the law of fecundity,that generally governs in the 
lower orders. We understand that the propaga- 



220 Hermaphro- Deity : 

tion of the carnal man is outside of the divine 
law, "For it is not subject to the law of God, 
neither indeed can it be," Paul informed us. 

There must be something done in the line of 
human effort, quite different from anything that 
has yet been attempted, to regulate the sex rela- 
tions, especially in the depraved, diseased, de- 
formed, imbecile and criminal ranks, to prevent 
an increase along that line of the low grade of 
human life. 

We can see a way to a better state of things; 
can see a solution to this mighty problem. It is 
Asexualization! That, and that alone, will regu- 
late the stupendous wrongs that now curse the 
race. If asexualization became an established 
law for the regulation of the unfortunate, as it 
should, a few generations would produce a mark- 
ed change upon the race; as the propagation of 
the species would be left to those who regard the 
parental office as something sacred, and who 
would impress upon their progeny the nobler 
and purer qualities; and in time there would be 
developed a grand race of men and women, each 
generation approaching more nearly to the per- 
fect state of "two in one." 

The reconstructed race will not be composed, 
as today, of men and women of widely divided 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 221 

and erratic natures, constantly at variance and 
at war with each other; but a family of divinely 
symmetrical beings, grandly balanced, possess- 
ing all noble and sweet qualities, as well as the 
power to understand God's works and the ca- 
pacity to perform them as well. By degrees the 
original order of things will be restored, and 
gradually immaculate conception will become 
the law. Whatever has been done through di- 
vine law, will be again done; it is a law that 
can never be broken. There will be more Marys 
and more immaculate conceptions. 

God will again establish His laws upon the 
earth. We cannot tell where or when this may 
be manifested, but we know that He never fails, 
and we have His promise. Our Lord, when 
asked when the kingdom of God should come, 
said, "When two shall be as one, and that which 
is without as that which is within." 

There was a period in the history of the planet 
when the same questions agitated the minds of 
men as today. What shall we do with our waste 
population? And when is the world coming to 
an end? 

"They did eat, they drank, they married 
wives, they were given in marriage, until the 
day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood 



222 Hermaphro - Deity : 

came, and destroyed them all. And as it was in 
the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days 
of the Son of man." 

That episode in human history known as the 
Deluge was the result of the degradation of man- 
kind at that period; and because of the oneness 
of all things, our poor tortured planet collapsed, 
lost its balance, tipped over on one side, thereby 
washing away large portions of the race, Noah 
and his family being among the saved. We read 
also that Noah was a "just man, and perfect in 
his generations, and Noah walked with God;" 
so he must have been superior to the man of 
today. And Noah had three sons; we do not 
read of any daughters; and according to our au- 
thority Noah lived nine hundred and fifty years 
— a long time. 

It is evident that Noah and his sons — as these 
beings are called — were androgynous or herma- 
phroditic, having preserved through all pesti- 
lence and corruption their dual nature. ''Noah 
was a just man, and perfect in his generations." 
The androgynous being could never have known 
sickness or pain, as both of these are outgrowths 
of sexual life — poison. Therefore it need not 
be condemned as a myth, the story of Noah's 
advanced age. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 223 

We have learned that during the first era God 
blessed the race and bade them to be fruitful, 
"And God saw everything that He had made, 
and behold it was very good. And the Lord 
God walked among men." 

Then the third era dawned, and man had de- 
veloped the power of producing the animal man, 
as we learn. But this method of populating the 
world was not blessed as in the case of the origin- 
al. The Lord did not pronounce it "good," but 
as we have seen frowned upon it. "Unto the 
woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sor- 
rows and thy conceptions; in sorrow shalt thou 
bring forth." 

Why bring forth in sorrow? One of the most 
troublesome, puzzling and harrassing questions 
of the day is that of the sex relations and the of- 
fice of maternity. Have yon never, in pondering 
over this subject, queried as to the wisdom of 
the whole matter? Wondering why the subject 
should be clothed upon with dishonor, secrecy 
and shame. Things never to be spoken of open- 
ly, as are all other inevitable states and circum- 
stances in life. Why should this be as it is? If 
God ordained these things, then they must be all 
right, wise and honorable. Wiry clothe them with 



224 Hermaphro-Deity ; 

shame? Do we need to crimson over God's 
work? 

But if He did not order them, then what? 
"I will greatly multiply thy sorrows. In sorrow 
thou shalt bring forth." Why shall she bring 
forth in sorrow? God had pronounced all of His 
work good; why condemn this, which appears 
to us to be rather an important affair? 

This is the explanation. Animal generation 
was the mark of that sin which the race com- 
mitted. It was the brand of man's disobedience; 
in fact it was a curse: "I will greatly multiply 
thy sorrows." Here is the reason why the sex 
and maternal functions are spoken of in secret 
and with bated breath and shame-faced glances. 
It is because the divine instinct in the spiritual 
Man recoils at the perversion of what was, in the 
original and angelic family, the highest and holi- 
est office, that of Motherhood! 



The Mystery of Divine Genius, 225 



''For the Woman is the crown of Man, and the final 
manifestation of humanity. * * * She is nearest to 
the throne of God, when she shall be revealed." 

So that women shall no more lament their woman- 
hood; but men shall rather say, "Oh, that we had been 
born women!" 

"And her reign shall be greater than the reign of the 
Man; * * * * an( j s h e shall have dominion forever." 

"And she that is alone shall bring forth more children 
to God than she who hath a husband. But the creation 
of the woman is not yet complete; but it shall be com- 
plete in the time which is at hand." 

—Perfect Way. 



226 Hermaphro-Deity : 

Benares, California, June 20th. 

As we dispersed this morning, after the usual 
services, each following his or her own inclina- 
tion or call to duty, I observed that the hand- 
some guest car with a steaming engine stood at 
the entrance of the grounds, ready to run down 
to the junction for some purpose unknown to the 
majority of us. Nothing had been said either at 
breakfast or in chapel concerning any new move- 
ment, consequently there was much questioning 
and speculations among the members of the 
class. I, being true to my American instinct, 
a desire to know other people's business, began 
to look for someone who could give the desired 
information concerning the matter. 

As I strolled down toward the train, I saw 
John in close conversation with Brother Eric, 
who, as I approached, walked, off toward the car 
and boarded it. He was clad in the full costume 
of the Order and carried himself like a prince as 
usual. 

As John came up and drew my arm through 
his, he said, as we walked slowly back toward 
the Home, ''We are to be honored by a stunning 
event today, which we worldlings know nothing 
of, because these people do not talk about their 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 227 

affairs very much in advance, and thus, I fancy, 
have deeper enjoyment than we do, who spread 
everything out, diluting it by much talking over 
it before it really happens." 

"Well, never mind about that," I said pettish- 
ly; "what is going to happen? let's have it." 

John eyed me keenly for a moment, without 
uttering a word, and I am always willing to keep 
still and wait when he looks that way. At length 
he said, "A party is to visit the colony this morn- 
ing composed of the wealthy and privileged 
classes, great railroad magnates, many times mil- 
lionaires, having their own train, their French 
chef, family physician, maids, nurses, waiters, 
etc.; in fact, every luxury that money can pro- 
cure." 

"How in the world did they ever happen to 
come here?" Tasked in open-eyed wonder. 

John answered, "The leading man of the ex- 
pedition, it appears, at one time knew Brother 
Eric intimately, and because of some unaccount- 
able personal attraction has felt inclined to keep 
trace of the Brother all these years, and latterly 
has written to him expressing a strong desire to 
visit the colony,and as the excursion party would 
pass the junction en route for San Francisco, the 
temptation was too great for this friend of earlier 



228 Hermaphro- Deity : 

years to resist. An invitation of the most cor- 
dial nature from the leading members of the 
Brotherhood was at once extended to the travel- 
ers. A committee has been appointed to perfect 
all arrangements at the junction. The train 
will be switched off, thus permitting the guests 
time to inspect the institution. Eric has gone 
down to welcome them and bring them up to 
the Home. They are not far distant from the 
sound of that whistle," added my companion, 
turning his smiling face in the direction of the 
sound. 

At this juncture, Annie joined us, all of a flut- 
ter. "Only think of it, John," she cried, clutch- 
ing his disengaged arm, "a company of real mil- 
lionaires are coming in their own palace car! I 
am going to dress in my very best for the oc- 
casion." And away she flew up to her dormi- 
tory, from which she descended in a few minutes 
looking as serene and sweet as an angel, a faculty 
that she pre-eminently possessed. 

'A large group composed of the family and 
students had seated themselves on the lawn and 
Brother Paul was giving them a little object les- 
son in chemistry, "Solidified Air," I guess: that 
man knows all about such things. 

After he had completed his experiment and 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 229 

put aside his chemicals, he said, "We will just 
keep our seats out here, and watch the proceed- 
ings, and be ready for any development." 

Then we all fell into a silence; that is the best 
way I can express it, and Brother Paul "looked 
into futurity." That is what Annie calls those 
periods of silence, that no one would dare to 
break any more than they would dare to scream 
out in meeting. 

Presently Annie pressed close to me and whis- 
pered, "What a world of mystery surrounds this 
people, and yet how fascinating, how different 
from that world and that people that we have al- 
ways known. Where and how will it all end?" 

Off in the distance we can hear the powerful 
engine puffing and wheezing, toiling up the hill 
with its precious burden of human life. 

The great clock struck the hour of nine, and 
Brother Paul said, breaking the silence, "We 
shall not have the pleasure of dining with the 
distinguished guests, as many of you doubtless 
have hoped to do," looking up under his brows 
at Annie. 

"May I enquire why we are not?" cried Annie, 
getting very red in the face, and sitting up 
straight. "I was informed," she continued, "that 



230 Hermaphro- Deity : 

the party was to dine at the Home, and that 
Brother Eric had made special arrangements to 
that effect." She squared herself around facing 
Brother Paul, looking defiant and disturbed. 

" 'The best laid planso' miceand men gang aft 
aglee,' " muttered the mystic; then, turning to- 
ward the excited girl, he said, "The leading man, 
it appears, declined Eric's invitation for the party 
to dine with us when he learned that we served 
neither wines nor meat at our board, remarking 
that the company would just take a little look at 
the place — 'the town,' as he called it — and re- 
turn to their car for dinner; remarking, by way 
of explanation and apology, that the members 
of the company were all high livers and could 
never take a dinner without their wine, and as 
their supplies were all so abundant he thought 
they had better dine on the car. Almost anyone 
but Brother Eric would have felt chagrined at 
the refusal, but nothing moves him, not even 
the fact that he was not invited to dine with his 
old-time friend on the palace car," and Brother 
Paul laughed heartily, exclaiming at the same 
time, "But here comes our Brother and his hon- 
ored guests." 

'Annie sprang from her seat, flushed and ex- 
cited, and before we could think or speak she 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 231 

was half way across the lawn on her way to be 
presented to the visitors. 

There were about twenty in all, but only three 
of the ladies had cared to visit the Home, each 
accompanied by her maid carrying fans, sun- 
shades, wraps and salts; the remainder of the 
party not having interest enough in the "bar- 
barians," as they styled the members of the 
brotherhood, to expose themselves to the heat in 
order to see them. 

Brother Frederick, being on the committee to 
arrange for the comfort of the guests at the 
junction, doubtless heard many 7 things not in- 
tended for the ears of the fraternity. 

Sister Alicia, assisted by Annie, who was in 
an ecstasy of delight, was arranging easy chairs 
and rugs on the cool and capacious porches for 
the ladies and their maids, the ladies declining 
seats on the lawn for fear of bugs and worms. 

The gentlemen manifested deep interest in the 
town, in the 'fine architecture and the superior 
quality of granite used in the buildings; but 
what appeared to astonish them most was the 
extent of the territory owned by the brother- 
hood, and all of which was under such a perfect 
state of cultivation. 

At the close of their tour of inspection they 



232 Hermaphro- Deity : 

came around where our party was seated, and 
the -first question asked by the speaker on the oc- 
casion was, "Where does all the money come 
from? for you have here not merely every com- 
fort, but absolute elegance." 

Brother Paul explained in a few concise words, 
and then, to the astonishment of all present, 
stated the amount of funds in the repository at 
the present time. 

"Well! what do you intend to do with your 
surplus means?" bluntly asked one of the visi- 
tors, a large man, walking up beside Brother 
Paul. 

What a contrast between the two men! The 
stranger was evidently about the same age as the 
Brother, and had doubtless been of equally fine 
proportions, but he was now excessively stout 
and flushed and breathing with great difficulty. 

A smile broke over the face of the mystic, as 
he arose and stood beside the man of the world, 
displaying in contrast his finely developed chest, 
clear cut features and brilliant eyes. 

"We have great need for money at all times," 
he said, gently and courteously, "not merely for 
the purpose of establishing new colonies in var- 
ious portions of the country, but to assist the 
poor and oppressed wherever found: to aid the 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 233 

Labor Unions in their struggles in cases of 
strikes, not alone in this country but in foreign 
lands also." 

"It is barely possible that you are attending 
to that which is really none of'your affairs/' in- 
terposed one of the gentlemen, his face flushed 
and his eyes sparkling with excitement. 

"Oh, no, we think not," replied the Brother, 
smilingly. "Wherever there is suffering in any 
form we consider it our affairs to do what we can 
to alleviate it. The interest of the human family 
is all one with us." 

"'What use do you make of all these immense 
buildings? you have a city up here," smilingly 
questioned one of the ladies who had ventured 
out and joined our group. 

Brother Eric turned to the fair visitor and said 
gravely, "We have here our institutions of learn- 
ing, our libraries, our repositories and our hos- 
pitals. Here we receive the most degraded 
tramps and criminals that the world has pro- 
duced, and they are treated and healed with as 
much certainty as we would treat and heal fever 
patients. You will understand that it requires a 
large amount of money to successfully operate 
such a school, reformatory and hospital as we 
have here." 



234 Hermaphro- Deity : 

" Where are all your tramps and criminals?" 
asked a spruce looking young man, with a slight 
curl of the lip. 

"We haven't any," replied the Brother, turn- 
ing his handsome" smiling face toward his ques- 
tioner. "When they come to us they cease to be 
tramps and criminals, and become students and 
law abiding citizens of our Social Democracy." 

The first speaker fanned himself vigorously 
with his hat, looking first at Brother Paul, then 
at Brother Eric, in blank amazement, then said 
impatiently, "You will see what all your Social- 
istic ideas will amount to; they will only stir up 
strife and cause strikes." 

"That is just what we desire," interposed 
Brother Eric, in a tone of voice that made the 
chills creep over me. 

How that man can expand in all directions 
when he gets aroused. What a model he would 
have made for the Colossus of Rhodes! 

"You don't expect this thing to be perma- 
nent, do you?" persisted the man, still fanning 
himself with his hat. 

"Yes, we do," Brother Paul answered, smil- 
ing and showing his handsome white teeth. 
"This colony was planted up here in the wilder- 
ness over fifty years ago, with less than a dozen 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 235 

members. Today we have a thousand members, 
all peaceable and law abiding, many of them un- 
knownare in theoutsideworld aiding in thework 
of reform, going and coming to this haven of 
rest, where peace, hope and brotherly love alone 
prevails." 

With the exception of the stout man, the visi- 
tors had all gone down and taken the train for 
the junction^ accompanied by Brother Eric and 
Annie. The stranger stood some moments si- 
lently studying the distant landscape, with its 
thousands of acres of orchards spread out like a 
grand painting; as his glance swept around tak- 
ing in the mountain scenery, with the unique x 
city perched on its elevated site, his eyes kindled, 
and he said with enthusiasm, "I must go now, 
but some day I shall come up here alone and 
stay with you a long time, and study your sys- 
tem." 

"You mean our religion," interposed Brother 
Paul, reaching out and clasping the man's hand 
in both of his warm magnetic palms; "that is 
the secret, my brother." 

For a moment the two men looked into each 
other's eyes as they stood thus. God only knows 
what was revealed to them in that space of time. 

The visitor waved his hand, bowed politely to 



236 Her maphro- Deity : 

us all, and without more words turned and walk- 
ed down to the party that awaited him on the 
train. 

We were silent for some little time, no one 
apparently caring to break the spell that had fall- 
en upon us. 

At length Angela said, "I do not believe that 
with all their millions those people are as happy 
as we are, who haven't a dollar in the world that 
we can call our own." 

Brother Paul, who had not lifted his eyes from 
the ground since the visitor had departed, now 
said in his impressive manner, "That is the sad- 
dest thought in the whole matter; these people 
are not happy, but are constantly seeking for 
happiness, driven hither and yon by that spirit 
of restlessness that always lashes the disobedient 
soul, driving the individual from one extreme 
to another." 

"What assurance have we that those people 
come under the head of 'disobedient souls,' as 
you call them?" I screwed up courage enough 
to ask. 

"Why because they are manifesting the un- 
mistakable signs. They are constantly seeking 
for some change, they are never satisfied with 
what thev find." the Brother answered kindlv. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius, 237 

"The obedient soul has found its heaven with- 
in, it is therefore satisfied; it has no further de- 
sire to travel over unexplored countries in palace 
cars, with servants and slaves at beck and call." 

"I suppose that what you call 'disobedient 
souls' are those that go to hell, are they not?" 
asks a divinity student, looking sharply 
through his glasses at the Brother. 

"No; not as you understand it and teach it," 
replied the teacher deliberately. "Hell is not a 
country or a region, but a state. When we cul- 
tivate that which makes it, we have it right 
along, here and now. As we find our heaven 
within, so on the other hand we find our hell 
there,whenever we look it up and arrange for it. 
That creed of an endless hell originated wholly 
with man, a diabolical type of man too. I do not 
believe you or I could have framed it. We 
should have constantly remembered that God, 
first of all, was Justice; then, first of all, was Love; 
and love works no ill at any time. One of the 
foremost laws of God's justice is, that Good is 
Eternal; that which we term Evil is the out- 
growth of the law of transition, so our hell is 
fleeting, that is what makes hell, I think. When 
man falls into a line of evil thinking, he begins 
to go out, he gets in a hurry, he goes with great 



238 Her rnaphro- Deity : 

speed; we hear occasionally of so-and-so being 
'fast.' " 

"What do you mean by 'going out?' " the 
young man asked with asperity. 

Brother Paul looked at the youth a moment, 
just as sweetly as an angel, while I could scarcely 
keep my seat I wanted to go over and box his 
ears so badly; then the Brother asked in a kindly 
tone, "What was the matter with your student's 
lamp in the library last evening when you called 
me?" 

"Why, it went out!*' snapped out the young 
man. 

"There must have been a cause for its going 
out," persisted the teacher. 

"Well, you know as well as I do the cause; 
you know that it had no oil in it." 

The boy's face was getting very red. and he 
was looking a little nonplussed, for as stupid as I 
was I saw the lesson intended, and evidently it 
was clear enough to the young Bible student. 

"This soul business is the one important mat- 
ter in man's existence," resumed the teacher. 
"It is a difficult thing to accept, and still more 
difficult to try to teach, the fact that at least 
one-third of the race, as we know it today, has 
no life beyond this existence any more than the 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 239 

« 

animal creation has. Some of the most beautiful 
and fascinating people in the world are abso- 
lutely without the Ego. They have nothing more 
lasting in their natures than have their pet horses 
and dogs. It is all good enough, as far as it 
goes, but they are the false blossoms on the 
tree of life, they lack the eternal germ. None 
were made so; they have grown that way, and 
they are 'going out/ unless wise love can reclaim 
them, as in many instances it does." 

The great clock sounded the noon hour, and 
we all started for the Home, and just as we 
reached the front entrance our people came up 
from the junction and orchards. Annie and 
Brother Eric were in advance, and in a high 
state of glee, getting all the sport they could out 
of the fact that neither had been invited to re- 
main and dine with the visitors on the palace 
car. 

Nothing ever disturbs Brother Eric, and he 
had succeeded in infusing his cheer into Annie, 
so that we all had a jolly time at dinner. I 
missed John and Brother Rameses from the din- 
ing room, and I learned that they had run down 
to the junction with a pony car loaded with bas- 
kets of delicious fruit, cases of honey, bread, but- 



240 Hermaphro-Deity : 

ter, cheese, cream and eggs. Annie told me all 
that. 

"That is what I call 'turning the other cheek' 
with a vengeance," she said, with a malicious 
twinkle in her eyes. "But as sure as you are 
born, John will stay down there; their family 
physician and he went to school together, and 
I'll wager anything they will make him dine 
with them." 

"Well, I hope they will," I cried, rising up in 
my pride for John. "I can tell you that none of 
them are .any better than he is, I don't care how 
many millions they may have." 

She began to giggle. "What a fool you are. 
Did I say that he was not the best man in the 
world?" 

With that she pulled me around, patted my 
cheeks, hugged and kissed me, wiped away a 
tear that had come in spite of me, and we 
mingled our atoms together again and became 
as one, she promising to tell me all about those 
"big bugs," what they are like, etc. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 241 

THE MUSE OF BROTHERHOOD. 



Some momentary touches of my fire 

Have warmed the barren ages with a beam; 

There is no peak beyond my swift desire, 
There is no beauty deeper than my dream. 

I make an end of life's stupendous jest — 
The merry waste of fortunes by the Few, 

While the thin faces of the poor are pressed 
Against the panes — a hungry whirlwind crew. 

I come to lift the soul-destroying weight, 
To heal the hurt, to end the foolish loss, 

To take the toiler from his brutal fate — 
The toiler hanging on the Labor-Cross. 

I bring to earth the feel of home again, 
That men may nestle on her warm, still breast; 

I bring to wronged, humiliated men 
The sacred right to labor and to rest. 

Still hope for man: my star is on the way! 

Great Hugo saw it from his prison isle; 
It lit the mighty dream of Lamennais; 

It shook the ocean thunders of Carlyle. 

Wise Greeley touched the star of my desire, 
Great Lincoln knelt before my hidden flame: 

It was from me they drew their sacred fire — 
I am Religion by her deeper name. 

Edwin Markham. 



242 Hermaphro- Deity . 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Benares, California, June 24th. 

This morning after breakfast I called John to 
one side and told him I had something of im- 
portance that I wished to talk with him about. 

He turned me around to the light, and after 
looking at me sharply for a moment, said, "Well, 
why not let me hear it right here and now?" 

"But somebody will be sure to interrupt us 
here, and I want you all to myself for a good 
long talk," said I, with a decided jerk of the 
head. 

John never does anything in a hurry, so he 
stood some moments looking down, as he kick- 
ed the leaves with the toe of his boot. At last 
he said, "Well, what do you say to our going up 
and trying one of their Twelve Stations?" 

We started up the side of the mountain, where 
from time to time the brethren had built little 
arbors, fitting comfortable seats around the sides 
and training over the trellis an exquisite vine, a 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 243 

native of the mountains, thus making a most de- 
.sirable spot for quiet and deep study. These 
beautiful and artistic retreats Annie had christ- 
ened the 'Twelve Stations" from the first. So, 
after getting above all sound from the Home, we 
seated ourselves where, it being so early in the 
morning, we felt sure of being free from inter- 
ruption. 

After we had rested for a time, John said, 
"Had you anything special that you wished to 
say to me," sitting back and looking at me 
keenly. 

"Well — yes. It was something about these 
men up here," I said, fidgetting about on my 
seat. "Do they ever fall in love with women 
who come up here ?" My face was getting aw- 
fully red I knew. 

John sat several minutes, not saying a word, 
but striking his boot with a twig that he had 
gathered on his way up. At last he said, not 
looking up, "That depends upon what you un- 
derstand by the term Love." 

"Why, I mean what everybody else does, I 
suppose," I blurted out, my face getting redder 
every moment. 

"There is so much difference in the way in 
which people accept that term," he said musing- 



244 Hermaphro- Deity : 

ly. "Now, for instance, what sort of a love do 
you have for me?" squaring himself around and 
looking me full in the eyes. 

"Why!" I exclaimed, starting up, "Why I 
adore you! But that is not the way that men 
and women love each other, is it? We wouldn't 
call that love, would we?" I questioned, in great 
excitement. 

"Well," he asked deliberately, "what would 
you be willing to sacrifice for me?" 

I was pretty well wrought up by this time, but 
kept my tears back, and as soon as I could con- 
trol my voice I said, "It is an easy matter for 
people to talk, John," taking his face between 
my hands, "but I would die today to save your 
life and honor." And so I would! 

The tears gathered in his honest, kindly eyes, 
and he said in a gentle, quiet voice, "I do not 
know of any other love than that, my dear. 
That excitable, devouring, scathing instinct that 
usually goes by the name of Love, is of purely 
animal origin and no more lasting. A large 
proportion of the marriages of the present day 
are the spur of that instinct, and hence the un- 
happiness." 

I studied the man earnestly ; he had a kind of 
command about him that appeared to compel 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 245 

one to accept his views, whatever they might 
be. At length I said, "Do you never intend to 
marry or to love any one?" 

How I do wish I could describe John to you; 
I never have seen another man so handsome. 
He has times of looking strange. I do not un- 
derstand him. He has a smile like no other man. 

He caught my hands in his and smiling said, 
"To marry, no! To love anybody, yes! In 
the first place, my heart is running over with 
love for you; then I have a multitude of other 
friends whom I adore, as you call it. I have so 
many whom I love that I have no chance to nar- 
row down my affections to one individual." 

There must have been a curious expression on 
my face,for he laughed heartily and said, "What? 
would you like to have me love and marry some 
woman who would love and monopolize me, 
taking me away from you — which she would?" 

I did not reply. We sat for some moments in 
silence, and I recalled Annie and her peculiar dis- 
position to monopolize anyone that she had any 
claims upon, and I wondered if most wives were 
not on that same plane. 

A sudden fear seized me ; I did not want John 
to marry. Such a thing would be a tragedy to 
me. But — did I want to marry? No; I do not 



246 Hermaphro- Deity : 

believe there is a man on earth that I would leave 
John for, not even Rameses, providing that he 
was of the marriage sort, which I am pretty 
sure he is not. 

John sat in silence, even forgetting me, I 
think. How handsome he was, and how proud 
I was of him! A bell, sounding faintly on the 
rarified air, recalled us to the outside world 
again. 

"That is the bell for the lesson, and our last 
one," cried John, springing up. "I want you to 
take in every word, because it is not every day 
that we can hear Father Hyacinth." 

"I listen to these lessons all for your sake, 
John," I said, as we entered the chapel and took 
our seats. 

After we were comfortably seated I began to 
look about for our friends. I saw Annie up in a 
new seat beside Sir Charles, and the Boston man 
poked up on a high seat right in the midst of 
the San Francisco party of girls. Well — in turn- 
ing around who should be seated just back of us 
but that blonde beauty, Rameses; I could have 
touched him with my hand, but I did not. I 
confessed that I felt happier when I found that 
he was near by. 

If I had thought Father Hyacinth grand in 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 14H 

his previous lessons, I thought him divine in this 
one. How I wished that all the world could 
have heard him. What he said that day is in- 
delibly stamped upon my mind; it has become 
a part of my being. 

At the close of the lesson Annie came to me 
and putting her arms about me, whispered, "Can 
you forgive me and still love me?" the tears fill- 
ing her eyes. 

I took her to my heart as I recalled our lesson. 



"Long-suffering Lord! Ah, who should be 
Forgiven, if thou wert as we?" 

—Pearls of the Faith. 



"If ye forgive men their mistakes, your Father will 
also forgive you yours. But if ye forgive not men their 
mistakes, neither will your Father forgive you yours." 

—The Gospel of the Lord. 



248 Hermaphro- Deity : 



"Christ is coming more and more to be Lord and 
Master in our social order. * * * * In all the blun- 
dering and ignorance of the attempt to create a new social 
order, I can dimly see Christ re-asserting His Lordship 
and Mastership in unexpected ways and unexpected places. 
It is in the New Testament, in the teachings of Christ, 
that we are to find the Spirit which must pervade and re- 
generate the social order. 

If this be so, if Christ is the heart of the Bible, by 
whom we are to measure all interpretations and all utter- 
ances; * * * * if He is the heart of human history, 
and human religion; if He is the heart of society, in 
whose Mastership will be peace and permanent and en- 
during order; it will be only as He becomes the heart 
and center and the Life of each one of us, The Good of our 
being; so that you and I put this Christ before us and 
say, 'To be like Him,' that is the aim of our life, the in- 
spiration of our being, so that we say with Paul, 'The 
Love of Ctwist constraineth us." 

— Lyman Abbott 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 249 



EIGHTH LESSON. 

THE PRODIGAL'S RETURN. 

We have now reached the crowning point in 
this most vital study. To have a perfect knowl- 
edge of all the leading facts that have been pre- 
sented in this series of talks is of little value to 
the individual if not put into practical use in 
every-day life. Not alone is the student to make 
the laws laid down in these lessons his daily pre- 
cepts, but he must take the one Central Life, 
illuminating the whole, as his guide in all things. 
Nay, more, as the one absorbing love of his ex- 
istence! 

Nothing is of real value to the individual un- 
less it be practical. It is very true that the fore- 
going theories may not be considered practical 
by the thorough business man of the world, but 
we do not view matters quite from his stand- 
point; we have a code of laws which we consider 
equally as practicable. We take Christ's stand- 
ard of morals and religion and His daily life as 
our guide. 



250 Hermaphro- Deity : 

A perfect life is not an inheritance or gift; it 
is not gained by subscribing to creeds, dogmas 
or ceremonials; and even a conscientious belief 
in these vital truths will not alone bring the de- 
sired state to the individual. There must be a 
systematic training of the disposition; a recon- 
struction of the mind, the unfoldingof the Divine 
Mind. This mental training must be just as or- 
derly and as regular as the drilling in our gym- 
nasiums for the purpose of perfecting the physi- 
cal symmetry and strength of the people of 
this colony. First of all, the individual must 
carefully and dispassionately study his own char- 
acter and line of thought to see where he is de- 
ficient and imperfect. 

Three years ago, two men came up here in 
these mountains to be cured of pulmonary dis- 
ease. They went into our gymnasium, took all 
of the exercises and full breathing for the pur- 
pose of expanding and healing the lungs. In a 
few months they returned to their homes in per- 
fect health, with the lung tissues healed and the 
lungs greatly enlarged through their deep 
breathing of pure air. I speak of those circum- 
stances simply as illustrations of what systematic 
use will accomplish. The expansion of the 
lungs, the opening up of air cells that had never 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 251 

been used, changed the whole physical life of 
those men. 

The individual desiring a change of mind — or 
as it is called in church parlance a "change of 
heart" — must examine his thoughts and motives 
to see if he harbors malice, anger, impatience, 
uncharitableness, greed, egotism, condemnation, 
love of the world, or a distaste for sacred things. 
If he finds any of these elements of the carnal 
mind, he will require good thorough mental 
gymnastics, and deep thinking to enlarge the 
mind and heal it of its disease, its sins, its preju- 
dices. He must dwell upon the deeper and 
spiritual subjects. 

He will not like this at first, and will constant- 
ly meet with discouragements and rebuffs; just 
as in the case of these consumptives who came 
up to take gymnastics; they felt sore and dis- 
couraged and irritated at the commencement, 
but through perseverance at last overcame their 
enemy, as we have explained. "Whoever will 
attain to divine contemplation, must mortify the 
anti-christ in his soul," said Boehme. 

It is the bent of the natural man to doubt; he 
is by physical nature anti-christ. He says, "But 
I do hot believe in Jesus of Nazareth as a Sav- 
iour of mankind." 



252 Hermaphro- Deity : 

No? You do not believe in Jesus of Nazar- 
eth as the Saviour of mankind? And why do you 
not believe in Him? Have you ever studied His 
life, character and works? Have you ever 
thought anything about Him? 

We never understand an individual or an ob- 
ject until we have entered into its sphere and 
viewed it from all quarters. In these days of 
rapidly evolving ideas and truths, it is scarcely 
safe for us to doubt or condemn anything simply 
because we may not see it as presented at the 
time. In the near future it may be demonstrated 
as a fact in science, what we have considered but 
the vagaries of an erratic or half crazed brain. 

Once upon a time, centuries ago, a man, a 
thinker and a dreamer, announced to the world 
that the earth was a globe, round, instead of 
flat, and that it turned upon its axis and traveled 
around its center the sun. And the whole read- 
ing world rose up against him and cried out, 
"We do not believe it! It is not true! You 
shall take it back!" and he took it back to save 
his life. But today no one has the courage to 
deny or doubt that statement concerning the 
earth's form or orbit. The vagaries of today 
become the scientific facts of tomorrow. It does 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 253 

not make a fact any the less a fact simply because 
we do not happen to believe it. 

I appreciate the truth that many are attracted 
to this line of teaching through a Theosophical 
bias, yet will not at once be interested in the 
history and the mission of the Christ. And to 
scores of so-called Christians also His life, mis- 
sion, death and resurrection, have been present- 
ed in a manner so obscure and unnatural as to 
have made no permanent impression upon their 
minds, so that they are really unacquainted with 
His character and teachings, and are literally 
without Him. He is, to all such, unfamiliar, in- 
accessible and of no vital interest. 

The Mosaic law suits the average human mind 
best, and Christ's simple, straightforward and 
just doctrines have not been the burden of the 
teaching of the modern religious world. We 
hear from the pulpits of the land all about Moses, 
Elias, Job, Jeremiah, Zechariah, and hosts of 
others; some of whom were great prophets and 
seers, and some, alas! shedders of human blood, 
who lived away back in the dead past; but we 
are told very little about the Christ who was in 
reality the consummation of all that past history, 
and who came to do away with the conditions 
then existing. Christ in His fullness has never 



254 Hermaphro- Deity ; 

been preached to the world. We have not been 
made acquainted with Him. His helpful human 
side has rarely been depicted by religious teach- 
ers. The human family is longing for a more in- 
timate knowledge of the human Jesus, without 
knowing the cause of its dissatisfaction and un- 
easiness. It is as a child lost in a desert place 
sighing and sobbing for the devoted and loving 
parent. 

We, being men and human, are dull of com- 
prehension of spiritual things, can only come to 
the Christ through the man Jesus: we must come 
into an intimate knowledge of His human na- 
ture; of His deep love toward all, His pity for 
the sorrowing, His keen sense of justice, His 
tenderness to the babes and little children, His 
sympathy for the common folk, for the unfortun- 
ate, sinful and outcasts; His modesty and 
humility, but above all His boundless love. 

There have been many noble and devoted 
teachers of men, in all ages, but there has never 
been one who presented such an example of un- 
selfish devotion, such a high sense of justice, 
such wisdom, such love for and understanding 
of man's needs, as did Jesus the Christ. 

Beyond all reasons that the human mind can 
urge, there is that deep-down secret cause why 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 255 

He understood man's nature and needs better 
than anyone else ever did or could; because the 
race in its divine nature is His, is joined to Him 
and He to it, as loving children are bound to the 
adoring and devoted parent. And man, in his 
spiritual nature, is constantly longing for that 
Infinite Source, without knowing — in the con- 
dition he now is — what it is he is yearning for; 
while Christ is longing — beyond anything that 
we can comprehend — for the love and recogni- 
tion of His children. 

The teachings of our Lord in the Gospel of 
John has never been clear under any other in- 
terpretation. How impressive it all becomes 
when we understand why Christ, of all others, 
came to redeem the race and restore all things. 
He is saying to you all at this moment: "Come 
unto me, and be taught of me; and your lives 
shall find a resting place. My yoke is easy, and 
my burden light." Come unto Me, He pleads. 

Now come with me for a little season, and let 
us live over again with Jesus that Judean life. 
Let us walk with Him beside the blue Galilean 
waters, under the sunny skies. Let us accept 
Him for our Teacher, Master and Leader. Let 
us get very near to Him; He permits it. John 
leaned upon His breast and was not forbidden. 



256 Hermaphro- Deity : 

And you, frail little one, you may slip your' 
cold, weak hand into His warm, strong one and 
feel yourself gently led and comforted without 
words. And you sick, suffering and sinful ones 
may touch the hem of His robe and find your- 
selves healed. And I — I will ask only the privi- 
lege of tying the straps of His sandals, and shall 
be blessed, strengthened and comforted thereby. 

We will become His disciples, for He refused 
none. So day after day by the seashore, on the 
hillside, through the fields of grain, on the 
mountain-top, in the Temple, in the busy marts 
of trade, we will follow His footsteps and listen 
to His teachings of love, mercy, wisdom and the 
brotherhood of man. 

We will behold how multitudes of the afflict- 
ed, deformed and sinful follow Him, and hang 
upon His words, imbibing them as drops of heal- 
ing and eternal life. We will see Him feed the 
multitude, refusing none and blessing all. And 
we will gaze into His tender eyes until our own 
fill and overflow with tears, shed in sympathy for 
the struggling, human mass that do not know 
Him. 

Then we will seat ourselves upon the grass 
with the multitude that hang upon His words. 



The Mystery of Divine Gcniut. 257 

and, oh! the music of that voice! Who could 
resist it? 

"Come unto me all you laboring and burdened 
ones * * * and be taught of me, for my 
yoke is easy and my burden is light. * * * 
If any one love me, he will observe my words; 
and the Father will love him, and we will come 
unto him and make our abode with him." 

We listen eagerly, the tears rolling down our 
faces and washing out of our hearts the uncharit- 
able feelings and all unkindness toward our 
brothers. As He stands before us, we note how 
majestic He appears; and yet how tender and 
gentle toward the frail and suffering ones. How 
carressingly He holds the tiny infant in His 
strong arms. How they trust and love Him. 
How grand! How more than human He ap- 
pears; and yet how near He seems to us all. 

How our hearts are stirred as He says, "A new 
commandment give I unto you, That you love 
one another, as I have loved you. By this shall 
all men know that you are my disciples, if you 
have love one to another. I will ask the Father, 
and He will give you another helper that He 
may be with you forever; the Spirit of Truth, 
which the world cannot receive because it be- 
holds it not, nor knows it; but you know it, be- 



258 Hermaphro-Deity : 

cause it abides with you and will be in you * * 
and bring all things to your remembrance 
whatsoever I have said unto you." 

Then He feeds the multitude and sends them 
to their homes refreshed, blessed and healed. 

So we, who hang upon His words, follow 
Him day by day, and our souls are thrilled with 
new and more humane thoughts, and life appears 
so different to us; we see how selfish and 
thoughtless we have been, and we long to live 
better and truer lives. So we follow our Guide 
along through the groves of olive and citron, 
and up the sunny hillside, and we all seat our- 
selves about the beloved Master; and He re- 
veals to us. His chosen ones, the deep secrets of 
His mission to the children of men, and His real 
relation to them. We feel ourselves being heal- 
ed as He says to us in His tender tones. "In my 
Father's house there are many dwellings; but 
if not. I would have told you: because I am 
going to prepare a place for you. * * * So 
that where I -am you also may be. All that the 
Father giveth me shall come to me. I come 
down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but 
the will of Him who sent me. Greater love hath 
no other than this, that one should lay down his 
life in behalf of his friends. You did not choose 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 259 

me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that 
you may go and bear fruit, and that your fruit 
may abide." 

We cannot leave Him ; His love draws us with 
an irresistible power. We watch Him at the 
well in His interview with the Samaritan woman, 
and we tremble as He reads her soul record; and 
we try to cast off our selfhood, knowing that He 
sees all our thoughts. Then we remember Mary 
Magdalene and how He looked at her without 
uttering a word, and how she was stripped of 
her scarlet robes and sinful ways — healed with- 
out a touch. And we remember the centurion's 
servant, and we long to even touch the hem of 
His garments and be healed of our infirmities. 

As we follow Him over the hillsides and 
through the fields, listening to His teaching, we 
gradually come into the full consciousness that 
Love is the redeeming breath of heaven. He 
turns and faces us; as we eagerly cluster about 
Him His countenance is radiant, His voice sweet 
and gentle, as He says, 'This is my command- 
ment, that you love each other, as I loved you. 
No man has greater love than this. That one 
should lay down his life in behalf of his friends." 

And now, as we return to the present, do we 
not all feel refreshed and strengthened? Do we 



260 Her map h ro- Deity : 

not feel that we know Christ the better for hav- 
ing dwelt with Him a little season? We feel that 
we have touched the hem of His garments, have 
felt His touch upon our heads; we have gazed 
into His eyes, and He has smiled upon us. He 
has said, "You my beloved have not chosen me, 
but I have chosen you." 

All your life long you will carry the memory 
of this brief visit with our divine Master. There 
will be aroused in the breast of each a tender 
pity if not a love for Him. We will be unable to 
understand how one so good, kind, patient and 
harmless could have been so misunderstood and 
wronged. In time, as we go into our seasons of 
meditations and give ourselves up to these 
thoughts, we will become conscious of an exalted 
Presence near us, filling us with new emotions 
such as we have never experienced before. 

In our study of Jesus.the Man, we have come 
into consciousness of the divine Christ, and there 
will creep into our hearts a feeling to which we 
have been strangers; we shall be slowly ap- 
proaching our transformation, our "new birth;" 
we will begin to feel a greater patience for the 
faults and weaknesses of others, a tenderness and 
pity for all that has life and consciousness. A 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 261 

pity that will not permit us to tread upon a 
worm. 

This will be the dawning of love so broad that 
it will embrace all humanity; will recognize all 
men and women as brothers and sisters, regard- 
less of condition, position, race or color. A love 
that will cause us to sacrifice the self for the 
good of another; that judges no man, but will 
help us to bear and forbear in silence and pa- 
tience. We shall no longer have the ambition 
to accumulate earthly possessions; but, instead, 
will experience a strong desire to help lighten 
the burden of the oppressed wherever found, 
recognizing in all the common bond of brother- 
hood, seeing in the lowly and degraded only the 
children of an infinitely loving Father. We feel 
ourselves fired with a new zeal for good works, 
and deep down in secret we feel a nameless ador- 
ation for our newly found Friend, The Christ. 
He has taken up His abode with us. Long and 
silently He has waited for us to recognize Him, 
and open unto Him. He has said, "Behold, I 
stand at the door and knock; if any man hear 
my voice and open the door, I will come in to 
him and sup with him and he with me." 

We cannot fail to grow like unto that which 
we constantly contemplate and love. 



262 Hermaphro- Deity : 

"What thou lovest, O man! 
That too become thou must. 
God, if thou lovest God; 
Dust, if thou lovest dust." 

We become possessed with the desire to imi- 
tate the deeds of those whom we respect and 
love. An absorbing love for Christ and human- 
ity is an evidence that there has taken place in 
the soul a healing process through the inflowing 
of the Christ life. This is that regeneration or 
"new birth" of which we have spoken. This is 
not an impossible condition, this at-onement 
with Christ; there are hosts of noble examples 
where both men and women have entered into 
this state of consciousness of the nearness of 
Christ, and the infusion of His strength and life 
into their's in time of sore trial. Such have been 
among the philosophers, philanthropists, teach- 
ers and helpers of the race, beside a multitude of 
unnamed and unknown mystics in the obscure 
walks of life. It is a subdued and elevated state 
of mind, wherein exists the deepest satisfaction, 
a nameless serenity, which no amount of misun- 
derstanding and persecution from the world, 
losses by land or sea, disloyalty or desertion on 
the part of friends, can in the least disturb. Un- 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 263 

to such is given to know the secrets of the "king- 
dom of God." "And you shall find rest unto 
your souls." 

Sponoza, while hiding from his religious per- 
secutors, living in poverty and isolation, subsist- 
ing on a crust of bread and a cup of milk or 
water as his daily rations, said, with the zeal of 
an enthusiast: "I never dreamed it possible for a 
human being to be so happy as I am." In his ex- 
panded and awakened soul he beheld the truth 
of Divine Being. His soul was exalted by a 
deep and fervent love for the Divine; he had 
come into consciousness of the new life of his 
Christ-likeness. 

It is a historical fact that the most enlighten- 
ed, advanced and highly developed minds in all 
Christendom have and do believe in Christ; in 
His divine nature, His perfection, and the ma- 
jority of them in His office as Saviour of man- 
kind. 

But this changed condition should not take 
you from among your brethren. You are to 
radiate this new power within you, as did Christ 
while He was Jesus the man, and walked among 
men. He has given you an example: He says to 
you: "You are my friends, if you do whatsoever 
things I command you. I have chosen you, and 



264 Hermaphro- Deity : 

ordained you, that you should go and bring forth 
fruit." 

This is a deeply significant epoch in the ex- 
perience of the race. Much questioning, uneasi- 
ness and speculation is the impulse of the hour, 
and infidelity is the curse of modern thought. 
Man requires a central object of contemplation 
because the law of centralization governs the 
substance of his being. 

Christ was the manifestor of all life in our 
center, and is as much individual as the great 
central sun of our universe, and as real as you or 
I; and more than that, wajks with men upon 
the earth today as He did two thousand years 
ago. 

Men have been looking for and expecting the 
return of Christ for, lo! these many generations, 
and have not understood that to the pure in 
heart He is always near and ready to bless. He 
is saying to us all, I will not leave you orphans; 
I am coming to you. "Yet a little while, and 
the world beholds me no more: but you behold 
me; because I live, you also shall live." 

"If any one loves me, he will observe my word, 
and my Father will love him. and we will come 
to him and make our abode with him." Could 
there be anything clearer to the comprehension 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 265 

than this promise? These promises are for every 
hour and for every individual soul on earth. 
They were not for a few fishermen two thousand 
years ago; but for all who are seeking for the 
truth. 

Christ is love, and love is for the healing of the 
nation. All who are without faith and a love for 
Christ, are as a ship in mid-ocean; storm-tossed, 
without rudder or compass, at the mercy of the 
gale. There is in all such a nameless longing 
for they know not what. 

Such may possess riches, honor, knowledge, 
wisdom, and yet be without peace. Peace never 
comes to the soul of man until he has opened his 
inner consciousness to Christ; because we are 
His, and His likeness is stamped upon our in- 
most soul. He is constantly pleading for the 
return of His children, to be recognized and 
loved. He does not command, He pleads. 

"Behold I have stood at the door, and I knock; 
if anyone may have heard my voice, and opened 
the door, I will enter in to him, and feast with 
him, and he with me." 



266 Hermaphro- Deity : 



"The love of the perfect man is a universal love; a 
love whose scope is all mankind." 

— Confucius. 



"Blessed are the Peacemakers; for they shall be called 
the children of God. 

Love * * * bless * * * do good, that ye may be 
the children of your Father, who is in heaven." 



— Jesus. 



"Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they 
shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, 
with power and great glory. And he shall send forth his 
messengers with a great sound of a trumpet, and they 
shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from 
one end of heaven to the other." 



Matthew xxiv. 30, 31. 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 267 

Benares, California, June 30th. 

Today, on the eleven o'clock train, a party of 
tourists came to attend the opening of the Ob- 
servatory. It was composed of scientific men 
and their wives, not alone from Los Angeles, 
but from several other large cities. The ladies 
were cultured and accomplished, the gentlemen 
all solid scientific men. Our German professor 
found himself in his element, and the Boston 
man never so much as looked at me, or one of 
the common individuals. Father Hyacinth, 
Brother Rameses and Brother Paul are to take 
charge of the party, and preparations have been 
made for them to remain all night at the Obser- 
vatory. As there is an evidence of a cloudless 
night, it will be a wondrous treat to all. We are 
promised the same a few nights later. 

After dinner, as the party was taking its depart- 
ure for the Observatory, we noticed that among 
the number were the Westlakes, the German 
professor, the Boston man and the San Fran- 
cisco party. They were all in exuberant spirits 
and presented a picture which I shall never for- 
get as they all set out up the mountain,, each 
woman carrying her basket of refreshments, and 



268 Hermaphro- Deity ; 

each man with a sufficient supply of bedding 
strapped across his shoulders. 

After they had passed out of sight, John gath- 
ered our party, Angela, Annie and myself, about 
him, with an air full of foreboding of some 
kind of change. I have a deadly terror of 
changes. He gathered us about him as close as 
he could, and managed to get hold of a hand of 
each, and then began to unfold his business. 

"You see," he began, "I received a letter to- 
day from August, and he says, 'That I had bet- 
ter come home, the harvest is unusually large, 
and he doesn't know how to manage it.' We 
have overstayed the time allotted to us already, 
and as the lessons are closed for this session, I 
think we had better go down to our little planta- 
tion and see what August and Elsie are doing. 
What do you say, girls?" 

No one uttered a word. He looked from one 
to another in blan^ amazement. 

After studying our downcast faces for a mo- 
ment or two he broke into a hearty laugh, ex- 
claiming, "Well upon my word! Do you want 
to stay here?" still shaking with laughter. 

"We like to stay here," said Annie sheepishly; 
"but we cannot stay without you." 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 269 

We all laughed heartily at this change in An- 
nie's sentiments regarding the colony. 

"How is it with you, girls?" asked John, turn- 
ing to Angela and myself. 

"So far as I am concerned," I exclaimed im- 
pulsively, "where you go I shall go, and where 
you stay I shall stay." 

Angela remained silent a time, as was her 
habit; she was always deliberate in her con- 
clusions. 

We were all silent for some moments, when 
John said, "You girls might remain here, and I 
go East and attend to matters and return here in 
December. I am to remain with them up here 
for another year. It is my desire to join the 
brotherhood if my girls are not opposed/' smil- 
ing upon us. 

"I have from the first decided to remain per- 
manently in the School," said Angela. "It is 
what I have long been in search of." 

"And you know that what is for you, is for 
me," I said to John, snuggling up close to him. 

I wish I could portray in words John's face 
when a certain smile of satisfaction lights it up; 
it is a species of inward illumination; it always 
recalls that story of Christ and His three on the 
mountains, "And His face did shine as the sun." 



270 Hermaphro Deity ; 

I have seen but few faces that would express so 
much, and John's is among the number. 

After a little silence he asked Annie what ar- 
rangements would please her, and after due de- 
liberation she concluded to remain in the frater- 
nity until John and I should return; and feeling 
it to be good for her to be in the atmosphere of 
this body of people, we considered it as satisfac- 
torily settled. 



Benares, California, July 1st. 

The sun had just risen when the scientific 
party reached the Home where breakfast await- 
ed them. 

It appears that a large portion of the visitors 
had decided to examine the mountain lake which 
supplied water for irrigation and all purposes on 
the plantation. Brother Frederick and John 
were to act as escorts on this occasion. The 
Westlakes, the San Francisco party, and as many 
of the excursionists as were sufficiently rested, 
together with most of our late class, started up 
the mountain in an entirely new direction. We 
followed a roadwav for a mile or more through 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 271 

wild and sublime scenery; at length we came to 
what appeared to have been the crater of an ex- 
tinct volcano ; a deep oval basin with stone walls 
of almost uniform depth, and so smooth as to 
appear like the work of human hands. These al- 
most perpendicular walls enclosed an area of 
about thirty acres, forming a uniform body of 
the clearest and purest of water; no vegetation 
growing near the water, but a fringe of ever- 
green at the top of the wall. There were various 
speculations among the scientists as to its source 
of supply. Some believe it to be a reservoir for 
the melted snows, others consider that it is sup- 
plied entirely from springs. Father Hyacinth, 
who has watched it carefully for the past thirty 
years, says that it has never perceptibly fluctu- 
ated in that time, and that in the center they are 
unable to sound it. The water is almost as cold 
as ice while in the lake, but becomes sufficiently 
warmed for irrigating purposes before reaching 
the plantation. 

I have no words with which to express my 
sensations while standing on the outer rim of 
that strange body of water. It was grand be- 
yond expression; in fact, too grand for me; it 
gave me a sense of some unexplainable mystery, 
awesome in the extreme. 



272 Hermaphro-Deity : 

What had .formed this strange reservoir? Had 
this once been the South Pole? Who could tell? 
I felt dumb in the presence of this mystery. 
Many of the party were full of speculations and 
suggestions, and some of them stopped talking 
long enough only to take breath. If they were 
impressed with the sublimity of the scene, it did 
not silence them. 

I expanded my lungs and breathed with de- 
light when I reached the Home, and saw the 
familiar signs of life and the work of human 
hands, and recalled Annie's remark when John 
asked her to join the party: 

"No, I thank you; I do not wish to go to any 
higher region just now; I consider this the jump- 
ing off place." But thereby hangs a tale. 

I had discovered that Sir Charles had dropped 
out of the party and lingered behind, which ac- 
counted for Annie's lack of interest in the upper 
region. 

After one of our superb dinners — which was in 
reality a banquet, so lavishly and exquisitely was 
it served — the party took their leave, full of en- 
thusiasm and admiration for everything and 
everybody; and we all equally enthused and in 
love with them. 

Such experiences cannot fail to bring out the 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 273 

strongest and best that there is in human na- 
ture. The grand in nature always develops the 
grand in man. I had never realized before that 
there were so many people that were given to 
large thoughts. I had fancied that John and 
Angela were two cranks who had ideas unlike 
anybody else in the world, and fancied that in 
the end it might land them both in the insane 
asylum. But here were hundreds of people, all 
perfectly at home and all happy, entertaining 
those advanced and ultra ideas and plans, and 
all appeared perfectly sane. 

I had lived in a superficial world, such as the 
larger portion of the human family exist in, I 
think, where to eat and drink and clothe oneself 
is, as a rule, the end and aim of life; but a few 
months' experience here has opened up to me a 
vast world of ideas, which under the old circum- 
stances would have been an unexplored and un- 
known region of thought and life. 

Those who have ascended the mountain of life 
can never again descend and be at peace on the 
low lands and marshes. To climb is the instinct 
of man. Ever more give us light! is the prayer. 



274 Herrnaphro- Deity : 

Benares, California, July 16th. 

Tomorrow, John and myself take our depart- 
ure for our eastern home, returning here in Sep- 
tember instead of December, as at first arranged. 

Annie has no desire to return East at present, 
so she informed me this morning, saying that 
she considered her fate was sealed. In what way 
it was done she did not inform me, so I asfeed 
her if it was hermetically sealed. She elevated 
her nose and walked away with an air of injured 
innocence, not deigning to reply. She has had a 
great number of similar attacks, so that I am not 
at all alarmed. She told John last night that she 
considered herse^ as good as engaged to Sir 
Charles, and John having her under his care in a 
degree talked around the young nobleman to see 
what he thought about the matter, and finds him 
entirely unconscious of the young lady's state of 
mind, and so far has no intention of changing his 
present free state. 

Angela tells me that Annie is hard at work on 
a manuscript which she intends having published 
at once. She intends writing up her experience 
with this community. 'We can imagine what it 
will be like. It will be after the order of "Inno- 
cents Abroad." I conclude, as she sees only the 



The Mystery of Divine Genius. 275 

ludicrous side of life. But Annie has grown 
more earnest and truthful, and I feel sure that 
she will come out all right. 

Yesterday afternoon I had a long and earnest 
conversation with Father Hyacinth. He told 
me all about the new colony that has been estab- 
lished in the West. A new plant, he calls it. Ten 
thousand acres of land have been appropriated, 
and the city laid out and planned by their archi- 
tect. Brother Rameses, Brother Paul and John 
have been chosen to get the colony in working 
order. Father Hyacinth starts for the new terri- 
tory at once, and a supply of assistants will go 
there as soon as required. 

This new arrangement does not give me the 
slightest trouble, for I have made up my mind to 
go where John does. Then, too, Rameses is 
going, and I cannot help but feel an interest in 
that fellow — nobody could that ever saw him. 

It is my intention to return with John to this 
community and perhaps take up the history of 
this wonderful people; especially the working of 
the new colony, for I feel sure that they are in 
the right and that through their teachings and 
practices the world will be made better, and in 
time, so potent is the influence of Mind, the race 
must be redeemed. 



DESCRIPTION OF JESUS CHRIST BY PUBLIUS 

LENTULUS, PRESIDENT OF JUDEA IN 

THE REIGN OF TIBERIUS CAESAR. 



There lives at this time, in Judea, a man of singular 
virtue, whose name is Jesus Christ, whom the barbarians 
esteem as a prophet, but his followers love and adore 
him as the offspring of the immortal God. He calls 
back the dead from their graves, and heals all sorts of 
diseases with a word or a touch. He is a tall man, and 
well-shaped, of an amiable and reverend aspect; his hair 
of a color that can hardly be matched, falling into grace- 
ful curls, waving about, and very agreeably couching upon 
his square shoulders, parted on the crown of his head, 
running as a stream to the front, after the fashion of the 
Nazarites; his forehead high, large and rather imposing; 
his cheeks without spot or wrinkle, beautiful with a 
lovely red; his nose and mouth formed with exquisite 
symmetry; his beard thick and of a color suitable to his 
hair, reaching below his chin and parting in the middle 
like a fork; his eyes bright and blue, clear and serene; 
look, innocent, dignified, manly and mature; in propor- 
tion of body most perfect and captivating; his hands and 
arms most delicate to behold. He rebukes with majesty, 
counsels with mildness: his whole address, whether in 
word or deed, being eloquent and grave. No man has 
seen him laugh, yet his manners are exceedingly pleasant; 
but he has wept frequently in the presence of men. He 
is temperate, modest and wise: a man. for his extraor- 
dinary beauty and divine perfections, surpassing the child- 
ren of men in everv sense. 



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